The Galactic Knightmare
by My5cookies
Summary: Kirby had everything going for him after defeating Nightmare. But when it's foretold that Nightmare has discovered a means of resurrection thanks to some new allies, old and new familiar faces will be forced to ban together to stop the incoming threat. But...it turns out that the biggest threat might not be Nightmare at all!
1. The Final Wish

_Hey guys! I haven't uploaded a story for a while, but I've had this one swimming in my noggin for a few weeks. And with college stuff getting the best of me, I realized writing really relaxes me. I don't know if anyone is going to read this story, but at least it gives me some practice and stress relief._

_Without further ado, please enjoy __**The Galactic Knightmare, Chapter 1**_

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Home sweet home. Where the world could fall apart around you, but you would feel absolutely safe. The place you always think of no matter how far away you get. It's a place of warmth, love, and peace. It's the place where you grow up. Where you learn. Where you live.

The dark pink star warrior was home. Everything was tinted a gray color, despite it being early afternoon. A result of all the smoke and dust from the fires, no doubt. The crumbled former castle of King Dedede, now being consumed by nature. The burnt down forest where the wise guardian Whispy Woods once shared his most perfect apples. The polluted lakes no longer filled with water, but toxic sludge that belched gas. Yes. This was his home now. What was left of it, anyways. It seemed like only yesterday he had played in the lush green fields with his animal companions and young Cappy friends. But those lush green fields now only held ghosts and guilt. The lone warrior was taking a walk along the edge of what was once Whispy Woods. Not a sound echo but the soft metallic click of his boots when they hit the dried grass. He made his way forward silently, as to not disturb the dead that were possibly buried by. He did not remember where they were buried anymore. He was sure he had purposely forgotten. The figure had his destination in mind, but his calm demeanor gave the appearance that he was in no rush to get there. It was no surprise either, seeing as these next few moments would be his last for eons. He hopped he would never see his home again after this day. It would be best for everyone if that were the case.

Every step brought him closer and closer to his final resting place, which was starting to appear above the horizon. While one might see just old crumbled stones, the old warrior saw a large and majestic castle that could fit one hundred families. Of course, what he saw in his mind was of older days. Castle Dedede had fallen decades ago. And by his own hands he reminded himself. The chaos and hell around him was his fault, and his alone. He would never forget that. The memories of happy days and far aways fought for attention amongst the killing and betrayal, and his guilty conscience would only allow himself to think of the latter. Strange. After everything that had happened. After all of his changes. He still had a heroes conscious.

But he was no hero. Not anymore.

Now standing in front of the castle gates, the warrior observed his surroundings for only a moment. A quick summary of the castle front would be complete obliteration. But a more careful eye would see the simple drawbridge had been blown in half, and the wood had started rotting long ago. The old stone fared no better, and had crumbled to gravel in large sections that danced in the humid breeze. There was a large gaping hole a few meters away from where the drawbridge barely held on, and he was almost certain it was still smoldering. Well, there were many holes throughout the castle. And despite all of them allowing him easy access into the castle, he needed to go through the main entrance. It was just a tiny bit of normality he wanted back. Any fragments he could find, he would take. The drawbridge was raised, which would be a problem for most. But the creature easily spread his beautiful yet hideous dove-like wings, and with a quick flap, drifted over the dried up moat that reeked of rot. He flew through the hole in the drawbridge, and landed without disturbing the dust on the other side. He continued on his way without stopping. He did not look back. He did not look around. His gaze was perfectly straight. The warrior was amazed that he could recall the layout of the castle so easily. Even in its destroyed state, there were still halls and stairs. He had to change his course many times when he ran into a dead-end caused by the ceiling having caved in and blocking his path. It was a small detour and cause for little annoyance.

A large chunk of the ceiling caved in where the warrior would have been in one more step. A lesser man would've cried out and stumbled back, but he did not even flinch. It was obvious to tell that the cave in was caused by the sudden tremors. Perhaps it was an earthquake. But the star warrior knew better. His guests had just arrived. Right on time. He turned around to find a new path to his destination, his old one had been blocked off just the moment before. No more excitement awaited him, and the warrior found his way to his destination. The castles courtyard looked as bleak and dead as the rest of Dreamland did. The large fountain that once stood proud was shattered, and not a drop of water gushed. He was sure the secret cavern where the once majestic Halberd rested was still holding, seeing as the ground beneath him hadn't caved in, but the primary entrance was sealed, and if there was another, he did not know it. One more difference. The entire lot was cast in a bright blue light. The warrior remained under the arches, his eyes toward the sky and the source of the light. He remembered repairing the flying vessel with his friends years ago. Happy times. The ship took its time landing in the courtyard, being careful to land on even terrain. When the engines were cut, that's when the warrior made himself known.

The doors to the mighty ship started to open, and the warrior called out. "The wormhole you opened nearly dropped the castle on my head." His first spoken words since arriving in Dreamland.

"You know the Lor Starcutter can't handle light speed. She'd get torn to bits!"

"Would I be searching for those pieces once again?" A harsh laugh was heard.

"So the great Kirby is a comedian now? Oh, that's just super!" With the ship opened up and the ramp extended, the captain floated down the ramp and was face to face with Kirby. They stared each other down for a few moments before shaking hands. They each had a friendly look on their face.

"Magolor, thank you for coming. I am in your debt." Magolor quickly raised his free hand palm down.

"I owe you so much, that this could only start making up for it." Magolor replied with a humble bow. The two separated, but their finger tips were still touching when the warrior was suddenly wrapped in a hug from soft and slender arms. Kirby did not push away or fumble. In fact, he seemed to welcome the embrace. Magolor winked at the warrior and fairy and gave a thumbs up. This sly move was witnessed by the embracer. In return, she took the mature course of action, and stuck her tongue out. Magolor hadn't changed at all. In personality or in looks. Although his cape looked like it had seen better days. Hadn't everyone...

"I haven't seen my love in so long, Magolor. I'm allowed to embrace him." The fairy replied sternly yet with humor. Magolor raised both hands in surrender. Kirby took this time to take his lovers hands in his. At this motion, Magolor backed away slightly to give them some privacy. Kirby would've given the fairy a kiss, but his mask was securely fastened and covering his face. Maybe later. For now, each was content with looking longingly into each others eyes. It seemed like she was trying not to cry. "Do you...must you really do this? Is there no other way?"

"Perhaps, but none better than this. While I am still around, the universe cannot heal from what I have caused. It will be better this way." The fairy shook her head slowly. A few stray tears had escaped, and slid down her red cheeks.

"I will grieve, but I know you are right." She choked on the last words. "I have brought what you asked for."

"Thank you, Ribbon, my love." Fairy and warrior stood in silence for a few more moments. Ribbon wasn't the same little baby pixie from so long ago, like he wasn't the baby star warrior anymore. Not only in looks, but in personality. Ribbon was perhaps a foot taller than Kirby, even though Kirby was taller than his old mentor now. To the common man, she wouldn't be described as breathtaking, but her simplicity made her more approachable. Her bright pink hair now rested in curls instead of a haphazard mess that she used to keep it in. It was still shoulder length though. Her trademark ruby-red ribbon was tied around her waist, and decorated a soft pink cotton skirt and plain white turtle neck. Ribbon had aged well, and even the wrinkles that had started to appear didn't do anything to subtract from her simple beauty. The recent bloodshed and nightmares had caused her to take a serious approach to many things, but deep down she was still always ready to have a good time with friends.

Kirby released Ribbons hands, which gave Magolor the cue he needed to approach. Nobody said anything. The trio stood in a triangle with eyes downcast. These would be their last moments together, and they all knew the first words spoken would start the countdown to the end. Without knowing it, everyone was thinking of the events that led them up to this very moment. The fun times, the hard times, the good and the bad.

"Magolor." Kirby finally started. Ribbon and the before mentioned looked to Kirby. He had pulled out a small slip of paper from his glove, and handed it over. "These are the star coordinates to the Master Crown. The information is a bit dated, but I do not know of anyone who has the same space warping capabilities as the Lor Starcutter, so the crown should still be there." Magolor took the paper, and unfolded it. He scanned the paper professionally, having read star charts and memorized dozen of patterns and locations. Ribbon took a peek at the directions, but quickly gave up. "When we have the Master Crown, the Power Crystal will cleanse it of any Dark Matter that may be remaining inside. It may have been destroyed once already, but Dark Matter is...relentless." He turned to Ribbon. "You brought it, you said?" She nodded. He sighed. "I cannot be near the Power Crystal anymore. So Ribbon, being that you are its protector, I will need you to cleanse the Master Crown, if you would." She nodded once more. "After that...It will be time."

"Actually..." Magolor started. "Ribbon and me have put together a little surprise for you. Just something...we'd thought you'd like it." Ribbon smiled weakly, but added nothing more. Kirby was about to ask more, but Magolor turned towards his ship and started up the ramp, signifying that he would say no more. "I guess we should hit the road. The Lor doesn't handle light speed well, so it'll take a few days to get to where we need to get." He stopped at the entrance, and waved the others in. Ribbon started first, and Kirby trailed. He took one more long look around, knowing he would never see his home again. The warrior then stepped inside the ship, and the door closed tight behind him. Magolor was already at the large monitor, punching in the star code. Kirby looked around, and wasn't surprised to see it was exactly the same as when he was last on board. He took a seat in one of the benches facing the bow of the Lor Starcutter, and finally gave himself a chance to relax. He lifted his mask ever so slightly to rub his old crimson eyes.

Kirby heard a soft clicking noise from behind, and could tell someone had just unclasped his mask. If it was Magolor, Kirby would've possibly thrown him overboard, but when he opened his eyes, Ribbon was kneeling in front of him, holding his mask gently in her hands.

"You used to complain about Meta Knight always wearing his mask." She smiled. "Hypocrite." Kirby returned the smile, but he didn't look into her deep pools of blue like she looked into his solid blood-red eyes. His smile faded quickly as he thought back to his old mentor. Kirby hoped he was well. All thoughts of his past melted when Ribbon leaned forward, and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek. After a few moments of silent bliss, they lovingly kissed. Perhaps if things had happened different in the past, Kirby and Ribbon could've been together. Married. Started a happy family. Nothing but wishful dreams now. They parted, but only by a few centimeters. Kirby shivered.

"Where did it all go wrong?" He whispered airlessly to himself. Ribbon silenced him with another kiss, then parted slightly.

"None of this was your fault. It was..._his_...fault." Kirby shook his head.

"I could have fought back. I am the strongest warrior in the galaxy. I could have won out over his influence if I had just..." Ribbon held Kirbys hands tightly in hers. She brought them up to her cheek.

"You were just a child when it happened. You had no idea what was happening." There was a long pause from Kirby. Long enough as to where Ribbon thought Kirby wasn't going to reply at all. But in a whisper that was almost silent even from this close of distant, he whispered two words.

"Thank you." Ribbons eyes flashed confusion. Kirby could read the sign. "Thank you for never giving up on me...when everyone else did." Ribbon grinned softly, gave one more kiss on the cheek, then stood. With mask still in hand, she approached Magolor and the screen, and once again tried to make sense of the crazy patterns that Magolor could read so easily. Kirby rose as well. Enough grieving. It was time to get started. "Magolor." He spoke aloud in stark contrast to his whimpering moments ago.

"Wait, something's messing up the keyboard." Magolor inspected the perfect keyboard that looked to be in working order. "Oh, wait, I just threw up on it from listening to you two. That must be it." Ribbon gave Magolor a shove.

"Magolor, I'm sure if you just called Landia and explained what happened-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Ribbon!" As Ribbon and Magolor teased each other, Kirby knew that the two were now just stalling for time. Neither of them wanted to help Kirby with his final plan, but both knew that not only was it the best possible course of action for the universe, but Kirby wanted it, and they were two of his only friends left. Almost everyone else was either missing, hated Kirby, or dead. Still, he let them goof around for a bit longer. A couple more minutes wouldn't hurt. When Magolor started mocking what Ribbon said in a whiny, high-pitched voice, Kirby stepped in.

"Friends..." His tone said it all. Ribbon swatted Magolor on the back of the head, Magolor swatted Ribbons arm, and that was the end of it.

Magolor turned back to the console, and looked down at the single flashing button like it was a scorpion. He eyed his friends. "Everyone ready?" They both declared they were ready. Magolor nodded, then activated the warp drive. The Lor Starcutter suddenly sprung to life as it hovered into the air. "While it's going through the wormhole, it'll work on autopilot, but in a few hours we'll be in the correct galaxy, and I'll have to manually pilot from there." The grand ship lurched from side to side slightly as it prepared to warp. A sudden back thrust that would've knocked an unstable man over let everyone know the ship was traveling through space. But seeing as two of the occupants floated and the other was as sturdy as a boulder, nobody was thrown. The journey had started. Kirby turned from the group, and headed for a door on the starboard side of the vessel.

"I would like to be alone for a bit. I will show myself out." Kirby planned on heading to the old training room to practice with his mighty lance. He really didn't need to, but training was his emotional release. Just as the door to the training grounds opened, Magolor spoke up.

"W-wait." Kirby caught the stutter immediately. "Kirby...bud...I've been your friend since we were both kids. Besides that one incident with the Master Crown anyways, but ever since then we've been buds. Now I'm helping you...I'm helping you with your final wish." He placed a hand on his forehead, and pushed back his hood. Magolors brown skin was shining. He was sweating. Obviously he didn't know how to continue. "And it's just...why? Not 'why am I helping you' per say. But...'why am I helping you with _this_?' I don't understand everything that happened." He paused to catch his breath. "...You know I wasn't there for the whole story. Just the beginning and end. One side of the story had a corrupt murderer, and the other had a wise master. But I don't know the middle part. The...the transition from Point A to Point B. I'm just-"

"Magolor." Kirby held up his hand to quiet the rambling magician. "What are you getting at?" He asked a little harsh. Magolor sighed.

"I was hoping...you could tell me what happened to you all those years ago. I've never asked before...because I knew it was a personal thing and sore subject. But seeing as how in a few days you'll be gone..." He trailed off.

"Actually," Ribbon started. "I wasn't there for the beginning or the end. Just the middle. And during then I knew many shades of you." She directed this at Kirby. "Neither of us really knows the full story though..." Kirby nodded, cutting off Ribbon. The events the transpired years and years ago had shaped the universe into what it is today. Nothing had gone right, and Kirby wished he could forget everything. But knew that wasn't going to happen. It would never happen. But for his two closest friends. Friends that were going out of their way to help him despite everything, he knew that he could relieve the memories once more. For them. Kirby nodded.

"I will tell you the full story." He replied with dim eyes. His heart was already turning and twisting in his chest, which was causing him an unbelievable headache. He felt like his horns were digging and twisting into his skull. But he was going to tell the story. They deserved it. Kirby motioned for his friends to sit in a circle. They did. It was silent all around as Kirby thought of where to start. Where was the beginning in this giant mess? He pinpointed a spot. A few days before the hell started. He opened his mouth to start the story. "But first." He said instead. Kirby turned to Ribbon, and curled his fingers toward him while looking at his mask. He wanted it back. Ribbon huffed, but handed it back nonetheless. Kirby slipped it on, feeling the cool metal relax him. Now he could tell the story.

"My story starts decades ago. In the Pupupu Village. It had been a few years since I had vanquished Nightmare with the Star Rod." Both Magolor and Ribbon shivered at the dark gods name. Kirby sighed. Here we go.

"This is the story of how I became the monster,"

"The demon beast,"

"The shadow,"

"The Galactic Knightmare."

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_So there it is. Chapter 1. Most chapters won't be this long, but I refused to break this chapter into two parts._

_Please comment, favorite, like, follow, click, tweet, and worship if you happen to like what I spit up! (Kidding you sillies...about the last 5 anyways)_


	2. Dreams and Nightmares

The spring day could be no more perfect. It was a delightful warm weather with the sun smiling down upon the citizens of Pupupu Village. The sky was cloudless to show the glorious cerulean color of mid-morning. The village glowed with its bliss, and every color was saturated pleasantly. The village people, known as the Cappys, had already started their day, filling the heart of the village with life and energy. People waved and made small talk. Children played under foot. Businesses opened their doors to start another great day of fulfilling work. Pupupu Village was the poster child for perfection. When it wasn't being attacked by demon hell spawn, of course. The villagers hadn't had to worry about demons for a few years now, and it was all thanks to one little pink hero. The defeat of the evil incarnate Nightmare had let the universe breath a collective sigh. Pupupu Village had been destroyed days before Nightmare was vanquished, and all of Dreamland might've gone with it if the pink hero Kirby hadn't stood up to the wrathful god. The citizens had rejoiced at his death, and rebuilt Pupupu Village from the ground up, making it better then the last one. Life was bliss.

Following the road and up the hill stood proud the palace of Pupupu Village's ruler. He wore the title of King, but others would be quick to describe him as a Dictator. Before the end of Nightmare, the less than regal King Dedede had rained hell upon his people in order to bring about the death of the universes savior. Thankfully, the King was not the brightest star in the sky, and failed to realize with each demon Kirby defeated, it just made him a stronger warrior. Now with Nightmare gone, King Dedede had shifted to less of a threat, and more of a nuisance. He would shout and berate his people for little and unimportant things just because he could, but if you swatted a broom at him a few times, King Dedede would grow annoyed and leave. Despite his high authority, he did not use it well.

Today, one could find the King slumped in his throne with a bored expression clearly etched his features. The throne room looked like any other throne room. A regal red carpet stretched from the grand oak door to his throne. Pillars of marble were symmetrically lined up on the east and west side of the room. The bright gold and plush green throne sat upon a slightly raised stage to give the appearance of a higher standing. The whole lock, stock, and barrel. His castle as well had been destroyed during Nightmares reign of hell, but it had been rebuilt by the Kings army of lackeys, the Waddle Dees. King Dedede had it rebuilt exactly the way before. Not a single stone was out-of-place. Except for one very important difference. His old demon transporter was nowhere to be seen. It had been destroyed the moment his castle was blown sky-high, and keeping it around was just not an option for the King. He missed being able to order demons. Not only did he enjoy seeing Kirby getting mashed and bashed, he just liked ordering monsters who would (mostly) obey what he said. Much different then the Cappys who ignored and disrespected him.

Slipping a gloved hand into his regal sleeve, King Dedede glanced at the door for a few moments before pulling out a tiny device. It was an old cell phone. Although this cell phones only use was to call the Holy Nightmare Corporation to order demons. He quickly flipped the phone opened, and pressed the power button. Just like the thousands of other times he had tried this over the years, the phone did not active. Only a black screen remained, which held a grumpy king in its reflection. This could be the last connection to any demon monsters, and the only thing standing in his way was a dead battery! King Dedede grunted and grumbled before jamming the phone back into his sleeve. One day he would get it to work.

And perhaps today would be that day. The only reason King Dedede had not left his throne room to entertain himself was because he was waiting for his very own partner in crime. The fat penguin king and slimy snail Escargon had decided that _today_ they would get that phone to turn on, even if they had to drain Pupupu Village of power to do so! Little did they know that even if they got the phone to turn on, there would be no one behind the desk to answer them. But the King would not hear of it. He was determined that if Nightmares 'most loyal customer' called in, demons would trip over themselves to answer it. Ignorance is bliss, supposedly.

The King was ripped from his thoughts quite rudely when his lackey barged into the room. In his hand was a long black cord. He had a proud look upon his face and held his eye stalks high with pride. King Dedede shot out of his seat, and started stomping toward Escargon. Dr. Escargon is the correct title. In the years that Nightmare had fallen, Escargon had done some soul searching. While he would never leave the side of his majesty, Escargon had found a love in engineering and chemistry. Instead of using his skills, like before, to build crazy contraptions now and then to destroy Kirby, Escargon was now focusing his talents on, of all things, helping people. Even though he still acted like a huge jerk to people, he still offered his services. (For the right price.) Nothing major. He assisted the towns doctor now and then with medicines and treatments, and sometimes would help out the towns engineer fix up machinery. Escargon had even improved the condition of King Dededes limousine, making it more powerful in general.

But today, Escargon had used his skills to manufacture a charger for King Dededes dead cell phone. Seeing as the cell phone had no visible plug, the charger would connect to the battery inside the phone itself. If it even had a battery. King Dedede would not let anyone touch his precious phone, so Escargon could only guess and hope the phone had a battery.

The charger was ripped from Escargons hands unceremoniously, and the King examined every inch of it. He looked unimpressed. Nothing really impressed King Dedede anyways.

"Is this it?" He asked with malice. Escargon crossed his arms defiantly, and scowled.

"Bigger isn't always better, Sire." He replied while looking at the King and raising an eyebrow. The insult flew right over King Dededes head. "Once you plug the charger into the battery, then it'll work." He reached for the phone. "I just need to open up the phone-" King Dedede turned sharply from Escargon, and clutched his phone tightly in his sleeve. Escargon grunted. "Sire, do you want this to work or not?"

"Of course I do!" King Dedede barked. "But I'm not risking my phone being broken!" Escargon massaged his temples.

"But Sire, we even talked about the fact that I would need to open up the phone to get to the battery." Escargon replied. "And really, if that phone breaks from just the casing being opened, then it's a cruddy phone anyways." It almost looked like King Dedede was going to relinquish his phone, but that hope vanished when he started for the door to the throne room hastily.

"I'll...uh...have to think about it again!"

"But Sire!"

"Don't touch my phone!" Escargon tried calling out for King Dedede, but the penguin was out the door before he could speak the first syllable. So now he had no phone, and no cord. Escargon just stood facing the door, trying to understand what just happened. He finally sighed, deflating slightly.

"This is the fifth time he's done this." Escargon spat under his breath. It was the same song and dance each time. The King would tell Escargon to make something to make his phone work. Escargon would do just that. Then the King would run out of the room at the last possible second. Escargon understood why the King was so antsy about letting someone play with his phone, seeing as it was his last possible connection to ordering demon beasts, but he was so connected to it that there was absolutely no chance for anyone to help him get it to work. It was an endless cycle.

The snail headed for the door, deciding that that he needed a nap. Escargon opened the door, and slid outside the throne room. But he didn't make it more than a few inches before a spot of pink caught his eye a few feet away. It was sitting dazed on the floor with two children helping it regain its balance. Escargon snorted.

"Were you all spying on us?!" He shouted. "I expect this sneaky stuff from you two," He pointed to the children. "but from Kirby? I thought he was supposed to be the good guy." Escargon came to a quick conclusion that when Dedede threw the door open, he must've knocked a snooping Kirby backwards without realizing the little creature was there. It'd explain the bruise on Kirbys forehead, anyways. It was already beginning to heal, thanks to the quick healing abilities Star Warriors were gifted with. The girl put her hands on her hips defiantly.

"Escargon, we weren't spying! We were walking by when Kirby ran towards the throne room door! Then Dedede ran out in a hurry and knocked Kirby backwards!" She frowned angrily.

"I'll have you all thrown in the dungeon for lying!" He shouted back. "Respect our privacy! Didn't your parents ever teach you to respect our privacy!"

"Leave us alone, Escargon!" The girl demanded. "We're busy and don't have time for this!"

"I'll remember this!" Escargon replied while sliding away. "Don't spy on us again!" He turned a corner, and was out of sight. The young woman blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"Aw, just ignore him, Fumu." Fumus brother shouted. She sighed.

"I just can't believe that even after Kirby saved the universe, Escargon and Dedede still treat Kirby like he's a menace." Fumu replied to her brother. "One of these days, Bun, I swear I'm going to do something about it." Bun just shrugged.

"Whatever you say, sis." Now that Kirby was standing, the small pink creature was heading down the hallway like nothing had ever happened. "Hey Kirby, wait up!" Bun ran to catch up with Kirby. "Fumu, come on!"

"There's no need to run!" Fumu realized she was talking to an empty hallway. She rolled her eyes while jogging down the stone hallway. "Those two are so impatient!" She mumbled to herself.

Eventually, all three of the children made it outside the castle together, and were now running down the hillside past the Pupupu village. Their destination was a large canyon. The mysterious Kabu Canyon was at least a dozen times larger than the Pupupu village, and was home to the wise and ancient stone golem, Kabu. He sat upon a large stone plateau surrounded by forever burning torches. Kabu knew many things from living for generations, and because of this the Cappys would often ask Kabu for guidance and wisdom for problems that they could not solve alone.

Today, Kabu was the destination in mind for the three children. It was Kirby, in fact, that needed Kabu the most. He had not told anyone up until a few days ago, but ever since he had defeated Nightmare, he was plagued by horrible dreams every night. Some were just quick flashes of dark images that were easily slept through, but others were filled with blood and despair. Images of his friends being torn apart and devoured by giants. And he could do nothing but watch. These dreams would have him waking up crying. Kirby had never suffered from nightmares before, and for the nightmares to start so soon after Nightmares defeat could not just be a coincidence. The town doctor had suggested it was a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the wild imaginations of the children did not want to accept something like that for the innocent Kirby. It was Fumu who had suggested they talk to Kabu.

The children made their way up the grand stone staircase, using the torches as their only source of light. Despite it being mid-day, the great canyon was large and deep enough to block out most sunlight. The group of friends kept close to one another. Despite knowing they were perfectly safe in Kabu Canyon, the place still felt ominous. As they got closer and closer to rocky plateau, a voice could be heard at the top that was obviously Kabus. It was a booming voice that held much wisdom. A couple more flights of stairs, and Kabus voice rang out.

"We are not alone. Others approach." The group of children looked between each other. Somebody else was already speaking with Kabu? As they climbed the last few stairs, the last people they expected to see there were the young demon children, Fololo and Falala. But the biggest surprise was that they were there with the master sword fighter, Meta Knight. Both groups just looked at each other with confusion.

"What are you three doing here?" Fumu asked curiously.

"What are you three doing here_ together?"_ Bun added.

The blue Fololo started: "We could ask you-"

"-the same thing." The pink Falala finished. Fumu, Bun, and Kirby looked between each other.

"Well...Kirby needed to talk to Kabu. He's been having nightmares, you see." Fumu explained. "He said they started around the time Nightmare was defeated, and we think they might be connected in ways besides PTSD. Besides, Kirby has never been effected mentally by the demons before, so...it just seems unlikely for him to be emotionally scarred by Nightmare." She rubbed the back of her head. Fololo, Falala, and Meta Knight all looked at each other. Fololo and Falala were sheet white, and Meta Knights eyes were a deep green.

"Nightmares?" Fololo asked. "Filled with blood and death and horrible things?"

"Filled with demons and monsters that seem so real you wake up in a cold sweat?" Fololo and Falala held each other. Kirby nodded slowly, all joy gone in his face. The way Fololo and Falala looked at him made Kirbys stomach twist into a knot.

"Kabu." The one who spoke was Meta Knight, who was know facing the great stone golem. "That is now four of us who have suffered from these dreams since Nightmares defeat. What does it mean?" There was silence. Silence that felt suffocating as the group of six waited for Kabus response."

"Nightmare is a creature who feeds off a hatred and fear." Kabu finally started. "When he is defeated, he is never truly gone. He will come back, again and again, for the rest of time. It is the way of the universe." All but Meta Knight gasped.

"So...all of that was for nothing?! Nightmares just going to come back?!" Bun shouted angrily. "That's so unfair!"

"Nightmare will return one day." Meta Knight explained calmly. "But he was defeated with the Star Rod, which will slow his healing. He should not return to full power for thousands of years. Kabu knows this." Meta Knight paused for a moment. "...Which means there's something wrong."

"Nightmare has found a way to regain power. Faster than any other he has tried before." Kabu replied with a mighty boom, confirming Meta Knights muse. "All demons and Star Warriors have the nightmares when the demon god gains enough power. To the demons, it is a call to war. To the Star Warriors, it is a warning. He is not back to his former glory yet, but if nothing is done, he will be, and the cycle will begin again, sooner than ever before.

"How's he regaining power so fast?" Fumu asked while clasping her hands. "A way he's never tried before?...What could that be?" Another long silence.

"I do not know." This confused everyone. "I feel Nightmares power growing and spreading quickly, but I do not know how it is being done."

"Do you know _when _he'll be back to full power?" Bun asked.

"I do not know."

"Is there anything we can do?! Even if it's just stopping the nightmares-" Fumu stopped for a moment, thinking back to the earlier part of the conversation. Meta Knight had said it was now four people suffering from the nightmares. Kirby was one, and the two demon children and Meta Knight must be the other three. It was a disturbing thought. "-these four are having?"

"The mind of a Star Warrior and mind of a demon will stop the nightmares on their own.. The nightmares are a virus, and like any virus, can be expunged. It is a matter of time, and is different for each Star Warrior and each demon.

"Kabu, do you know how strong Nightmare is now?" Meta Knight questioned. "Do you know where we could find him?"

"Nightmare is weakened, but not defenseless. He can influence those who give themselves to him willingly, but he is not strong enough to attack those who reject him. As for his location, I do not know." Meta Knight nodded, that being answer enough for him. He thanked Kabu, then started for the stone staircase, his business here done. Everyone had noticed Meta Knights eyes were a deep emerald-green.

"What do we do now? We have all this information, but can we actually _do_ anything?" Bun asked the group.

"I don't think there's much we can do, since we don't have specific information." Fumu replied. "We just have to be patient and see if Nightmare shows himself." Bun grinned.

"Then we'll send in Kirby to kick some demon god butt!" He fist pumped. Kirby squeaked with glee. "Well, now that this is over with, let's go play some dodge ball! Kirby gets to be the ball!"

As the group of children made their way out of Kabu Canyon, their conversation with Kabu coming to an end, a conversation at Castle Dedede had just started. King Dedede was talking to himself, pacing back in forth in his room. He had locked himself inside for maximum privacy. His most treasured cell phone sat on his dresser, and the special charger Escargon had designed that King Dedede had swiped had been thrown haphazardly onto his bed. Every now and then, the King would stop pacing, look to his phone, then continue to pace again. The King had a sour look on his face. A shadow cast over his eyes.

He knew nobody would ever understand why he wanted demons so badly. Sure, the idea of eternal hell cast upon them by Nightmare didn't sound too pleasant, but the reason was more personal. Before Nightmares fall, he had wanted the demons because he just did not like Kirby. He felt like Kirby was the reason that nobody respected him. But now, he _really _thought that. Ever since Kirby had vanquished Nightmare, he would hear day in and day out from the Cappys: 'See Dedede! Kirby's a good guy! Don't you feel silly for trying to hurt him before?' Every damn _day!_ He didn't like being made a fool of, and now he wanted to destroy Kirby for revenge. It was all this pink menaces fault! But his only possible hope for revenge was a hunk of junk cell phone. But he clung to that small beacon of hope.

Right now, the King was having an internal war with himself. Did he dare risk taking his phone apart to try Escargons charger? If he didn't do it right, the King was positive the phone would disintegrate in his hands or burst into flames. Heck, he might get it apart correctly, and then the charger itself could break the phone! But if he didn't try anything, then no progress could be made. But the thought of his precious phone breaking further horrified the King.

"Stupid cell phone." The King grumbled roughly. "Stupid Customer Service guy for not sending a stinking charger. Stupid Kirby for being...stupid. Stupid Cappys!" King Dedede wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. The more he thought about his current situation, the more furious he became. But this was not like his usual fury that would cause him to smack people upside the head or scream threats, it was a silent fury that was most unlike King Dedede to experience. The kind that would fester and grow inside the darkest pits of someones mind until it was all that person could think about. The kind of anger that could consume a weaker man.

King Dedede swiped his phone off his dresser, and held it close enough to his eyes that his nose touched the screen. He glared holes through it, almost like he thought his raw anger would be enough to get the phone to turn on. Obviously, nothing happened, which angered the King. King Dedede was getting dangerously close to just shouting random magic chants to see if that could awaken the phone. But his last shards of dignity kept him from doing so.

His grip strength increased on the phone ever so slightly before he slapped his phone back on his dresser. King Dedede didn't realize he could've just broken the phone until the last second. A quick scan calmed his worries. The phone was still in one piece. King Dedede sighed with relief before flopping onto his bed, not caring about crushing the charger under his girth. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. His stomach was doing back flips, and his heart burned. This just wasn't fair! Why was Kirby getting all the praise and love? Where was the love for the King? He hated Kirby! He never hated anyone like he hated that pink menace.

A low buzzing noise suddenly broke through the silence, and the King opened his eyes abruptly and looked towards the source of the noise, which was near his dresser. He blinked his eyes rapidly, and rubbed them too. Slowly, he sat up, his arms shaking while looking at his phone.

His phone was lit up and buzzing.

King Dedede nearly fell out of bed to get to his phone. He snatched it from the dresser, and flipped it open. Instead of seeing the face of Customer Service, there was a text message. Strange, he didn't even know his phone could get text messages. He read the message, then reread it, then reread it again! He had expected the phone to do one of many things when it turned on, but what this message said was not one of them. And he still wondered how the phone suddenly came back to life. This time he read the message, and out loud, making sure to speak quietly enough so no outsiders could hear.

_'At midnight tonight, stand in front of a large mirror and wait. We will come to you. If anyone should find out about this, silence them immediately._

_Kirby will be ours._

_~NME_

King Dedede looked to the opposite end of his room to his very large full body mirror. He would be standing there at midnight tonight to welcome an unknown visitor. While the tiny voice in the back of his head told him that this was a foolish idea, his angry heart reread that last line over and over again.

_Kirby will be ours._

King Dedede slipped his once again darkened phone into his pocket, and left his bedroom. His head filled with wonderful thoughts of hatred and revenge.

* * *

_So you know how I said that I wouldn't make chapters as long as the last one. Yeah, I forgot about that. But I'm not a fan of short chapters, so I guess lucky you guys?_

_By the way, this story is going to do the impossible, and combine a bunch of the Kirby games with the anime. I felt this story would be best with the best of both worlds._

_Comment, fave, follow, review, like, click, worship, embrace, tweet, pet, and taste test if you like the story! (Just kidding sillies!...Mostly)_


	3. Midnight

After the brief meeting in Kabu Canyon was finished, the time crawled forward, and sometimes it felt like it stopped completely. That day was just a lazy day, and it gave the five children Fumu; Bun; Fololo; Falala; and Kirby more time to play games and enjoy each others company. Like Bun had suggested, the children played a couple of rounds of dodge ball to start with. (Fumu made sure Kirby was _not _the ball.) But that quickly bored them, so the rest of the day was filled with mindless activities meant only to entertain.

Despite the laughing and jokes that filled the air, none of the children had forgotten the eerie warning Kabu had spoken of. Each of the children at one point in the day had zoned out completely, thinking about Nightmare and his quickening rise to power. While some were less likely to admit it then others, everyone was ashamed; horrified; or angered by the thought that despite having the knowledge that Nightmare would be returning, there wasn't much anyone could do about it. There was no information on his location, or how powerful he was currently, or when he would be back to full power, or even _how_ he was gaining power so quickly. They just had to be patient.

When the sun touched the horizon, the children decided to call it a day. They said their goodbyes, and all but Kirby started for Castle Dedede. At least, it seemed that way. There was a sudden tug on Buns overall strap, and when he turned around, Kirby was there. He was pointing at the beach, and was jumping around excitedly. Bun shook his head. The other three children stood only a few feet away.

"Sorry Kirby, it's getting late, and mom and dad'll freak if we're out after dark. We'll go to the beach tomorrow, alright?" Bun tried turning once more, but once again his suspender was tugged on. Now Kirby was pointing towards Whispy Woods, and was once more dancing around. Bun crossed his arms, and pulled his strap out of Kirbys hands. "I already told ya Kirby! We can't play anymore! Go home and we'll play in the morning." For the second time, Bun turned around to head back to the castle. He was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Fumu, Fololo and Falala looked between each other with confusion, shrugging shoulders and scratching heads. Bun nearly bit through his tongue when Kirby _again _pulled on his suspender strap, this time pointed to Pupupu Village, and _again _danced around. Bun inhaled, getting ready to shout at Kirby, but Fumu put a hand on Buns shoulder before he could speak.

"Wait a second." She spoke slowly, her mind putting two and two together. Her gaze went from her little brother to the giddy Kirby. "You don't want to go back home, do you?" To everyone's surprise, Kirbys smile slipped from his face. His eyes went downcast, as if he was ashamed. Fumu nodded. "I get it. You don't want to be alone just in case you get another nightmare." A few seconds of silence passed where everybody though Kirby wasn't going to respond at all, but then a light nod could be seen.

"We know how Kirby feels." Fololo pipped up, holding his sister's hand.

"Fololo had me when he got a nightmare. And I had him when I got a nightmare." Falala added.

"We wouldn't want to be alone either if we just woke up from one." Fololo finished.

"Well, then Kirby can sleep at the castle." Bun offered, shrugging his shoulders casually. "He's done it before lots of times." At this offer, Kirby started bouncing on his toes, making baby like squeaks. Fumu lightly took Kirbys hand in hers, and all five children started for the castle. By now, the sun had dipped below the horizon, and the group could only see the path under their feet thanks to the hundreds of lights and torches Castle Dedede had on constantly.

When the children made it into the charming front room that belonged to the Cabinet Minister and family. Two worried parents sat, waiting for the children and demanding to know why they weren't home before sunset. But a quick explanation of Kirbys predicament, and all was forgiven. Knowing that everyone was safe, the parents, named Memu and Parm, bid goodnight to the group of five, and retired to their bedroom for a good nights sleep, despite the sun just setting. Like the saying goes, early bird catches the worm.

Now alone, the children sat on the plush green couches. Fololo and Falala sat on the love seat together, while, Fumu, Kirby, and Bun sat on the couch in the before mentioned order. Nobody made eye contact with one another. Coincidentally, they were all thinking of the same topic, but no one had to courage to speak of it. It was Bun who broke the silence. He ran his hands through his hair, and growled.

"I still can't...just...After everything that happened, from the Halberd and the Destrayahs and the Star Rod...it just flat out sucks that none of that even matters! Nightmare's gonna come back anyways!" He flopped onto his back. Despite being angry, he kept his voice to a loud whisper, making sure not to wake his sleeping parents."I wanna know how he's gaining power so fast, and I want to find that source and stomp on it!" He looked to his friends. None of them were looking to him. "I can't be the only one thinking this, right?!"

"We're thinking it too." Falala started.

"It's not fair at all." Fololo finished.

"Of course we're all thinking about it." Fumu added. Her voice sounded tired. "But Bun, we can't do anything about it! We need more information. And even if we had all the information on his location and source of power and such, it's not like we'd be able to get to him. The Halberd was destroyed, which means we don't have a ship anymore." She rubbed her eyes. "And I doubt Meta Knight, Sword, and Blade are working on a second one. You heard Meta Knight today, he was sure Nightmare wasn't going to come back for thousands of years. He's probably as helpless as we are right now." Bun responded by digging his palms into his eyes.

"Alright, alright. So we can't do anything about Nightmare. Can we at least do something about the bad dreams these three are having?" Bun asked with a grumpy tone. Nobody responded, and Bun didn't bother to press the issue. They all recalled what Kabu had said earlier. Demons and Star Warriors fought the virus like nightmares on their own. Once again, the only solution was patience.

The children ended the topic of Nightmare then and there, and moved onto lighter topics. It was all small talk that went in one ear and out the other, and to contrast the slow-moving day, the hours flew by, and soon the moon was high in the sky. It must've only been half an hour until midnight when they all decided to get some shut-eye. If Memu and Parm knew the children were awake at this late hour, they would've had a fit.

"How about we all sleep in my room for the night." Fumu suggested. "So we can all be there for each other just in case a bad dream happens." She offered up this idea hesitantly, knowing that even if one of the demon children or the baby Star Warrior had a nightmare, nothing could be done. Fumu just hoped the thought would comfort each other. Kirby agreed, Fololo and Falala said yes, Bun stuck out his tongue.

"I'll sleep in my room, thanks." He pursed his lips in thought, then turned towards his bedroom door. "Wake me if anything happens though." He waved good night, then shut the door, leaving the four others outside Fumus bedroom. She shrugged, then waved her friends inside. Thanks to her friends small sizes, all she needed to offer was two blankets and two pillows that could be used as mattresses. One for Kirby, and one for Fololo and Falala. Everyone climbed into bed. All but Fumus hands were shaking with nervousness. The demon children and Kirby prayed that this would be the night that the nightmares would stop, but there was little hope to this thought. When everyone was comfortable, Fumu lightly held her lamp switch.

"Well...sweet dreams." She said, hoping that it wouldn't be taken ironically. Everyone said their good nights and sleep tights, then Fumu shut off her lamp, plunging the room into darkness save for the glow of the full moon.

While the five children drifted into an uneasy sleep, another being was fighting off his drowsiness. He had an unknown guest to meet. King Dedede paced back and forth in front of his grand mirror, every so often checking the time on his grand father clock. It was five minutes to midnight. A couple of feet from him laid his mighty hammer against the wall. He had felt compelled to keep it near him during this meeting. Whether it was for intimidation, protection, or both, he did not know.

For once, King Dedede did not bother to check his cell phone to see if the unknown sender had sent any more messages. He had checked all day every five minutes, and had gotten nothing. He was almost certain the black screen had grown _darker!_ The thought of not knowing what was going to happen next killed him. He was used to being in control, or at least having the illusion of power, and now he was at the mercy of this visitor. If it wasn't for that small note of getting back at Kirby that the message had promised, he would've turned tail and flat-out ignored the message. But his dark heart craved revenge, and he would do anything or trust anyone to get it.

Still, there was that tiny voice in the back of his mind that begged him not to do this. Why should he listen to it though, King Dedede asked himself? What would he gain from sitting by while Kirby continued to hog the spotlight? King Dedede knew that he just needed one chance to get back at Kirby, then his personal universe would be righted once more. And besides, even if Kirby was taken down and Nightmare ruled the universe, he convinced himself that Nightmare would _never _hurt his most loyal customer. Nightmare owed King Dedede for all the business he had done at Holy Nightmare Corporation. Despite King Dedede currently being hatred incarnate, Nightmare would over look that.

Right?

Of course he would! King Dedede once more swatted at the tiny voice, demanding it be silenced. Everything would be okay in the end. He was going to get his revenge on that pink git once and for all.

King Dedede shuffled on the spot, and once more turned to the grandfather clock. His eyes met the face just as it struck midnight. Not a second later, the temperature in the room dropped several degrees, and King Dedede visibly shivered. The penguin instinctively looked at the window, thinking it was a draft, but the window was closed. He turned towards the mirror, and reeled back when he noticed a black fog creeping up its face. King Dedede looked behind him swiftly, but there was no black fog in sight. He couldn't keep his hand from shaking as he slowly touched the glass. It rippled under his touch, and he realized the fog wasn't a reflection, but was inside the mirror itself!

The room dropped another few degrees, and he pulled his royal red robe tighter around himself. He couldn't quiet put his finger on it, but this cold felt...different. Not only did the body heat get sucked out of him, but it almost felt like some of his very _soul _was sucked out as well. King Dedede brushed the thought aside. This was no time for superstitious mumbo jumbo! He had plans to make. And when a sudden flash of floating eyes glowed out from the fog, King Dedede knew his visitor was here. He cleared his throat and held his chin high.

He would control this conversation.

"Did you send me the message on the phone?" He demanded to know in a booming voice. The floating pair of eyes just stared back at a slightly shaking King Dedede. After a couple more moments of suffocating silence, King Dedede asked his question again, saying each word crisply. But he didn't get more than half way through the sentence when he felt a sudden smack upside his head. It caused him to recoil in pain. It had felt like someone had taken his giant mallet and smacked his _mind!_ He held his head, looking into the two small beady balls of...lavender? King Dedede was almost certain Nightmare didn't have purple eyes. So...who was he talking to? And more importantly _who hit him?!_

"_Speak only in your mind, so that we do not attract any unwanted eavesdroppers." _King Dedede gasped, frantically searching high and low for the voice. He knew the source of the voice had to be the purple eyes, but the thought still horrified him. The voice that spoke in his mind was not his own. It was high-pitched, like a young boys. But it was all wheezy and strained. This definitely was _not _Nightmare. King Dedede was about to speak out loud, but clamped his beak shut at the last second.

"_Did you send me that message?" _King Dedede asked in his mind. He had to admit, he felt a bit ridiculous right now.

"_No." _King Dedede was about to raise his mallet to the intruder, but the voice continued. _"I did not send the message. But the sender sent me to carry out this meeting." _King Dedede strained forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of the actual sender. Or at least a glimpse of the body behind the glowing lavender eyes. But he could see nothing. _"You and I are alone, and I will keep my identity a secret until a deal has been made." _Perhaps he shouldn't have made it so obvious he was looking behind the floating eyes nonexistent shoulder. At the mention of a deal, King Dedede composed his dignity.

"_Yeah, about that. I want to know what you've got in mind for getting rid of Kirby." _King Dedede mentioned with a little too much joy.

"_We did not say that we would get rid of Kirby." _The voice corrected. _"We said _Kirby will be ours. _We intend to collect what is _ours._" _King Dededes malicious grin faded into disbelief. He eyeballed his hammer, considering if he should grab it and up the intimidation factor.

"_What do you mean 'collect'?!" _He shouted in his mind. _"How does that help me out with my problem?! _A low laugh suddenly sounded. Not in King Dededes mind, but out loud. It chilled the penguin to the core.

"_I will explain to you the deal Nightmare is offering." _King Dedede raised an eyebrow, but did not reply. _"That pink menace is extremely powerful. Powerful enough, as you know, to call forth the power of the Star Rod. And with it, he slew Nightmare in one hit. Nightmare knows Kirby is powerful. It sickens him to the core to admit it, but he does."_

"_Wait, wait!" _King Dedede interrupted. _"You say Kirby killed Nightmare. But now Nightmare is admitting Kirby is powerful? Is...Is Nightmare dead or not?! And what's this plan that you're hatching?! And who sent the message if it wasn't you?! You better get to the point really quick, or I'll end this conversation right now!" _The king stomped forward, quickly growing tired of these games. Another invisible punch connected with his temple first, and was quickly followed up with one to his right eye. The first one sent his head spinning, while the other threw him onto his backside. It could almost be seen as comical, but the lightly glowing lavender eyes were now on fire. Their cores were a pitch black, sucking what little light that remained out of King Dededes bed room. The king finally managed to look into the soulless dark eyes, and immediately cowered under their hellish gaze.

"_Do you know how quickly I could kill you? Do you understand how much I would _enjoy _killing you? You _disgust _me! You glutenous and putrid git! I don't understand why Nightmare would even _consider _adding you as an ally! You have _nothing _to offer but the Star Warrior! Once he has Kirby, you will be of no further use to him! And by Novas grace, if he doesn't smite you where you stand, I will personally rip out your throat with my own tee-AAAAAAAAAAUHG!"_ King Dedede frantically slid backward. The soft and wheezy voice had changed instantly to screams and hisses. Below the soulless eyes splashed small puddles of what looked like foggy bubbles, and King Dedede realized to his horror that the creature had started foaming at the mouth.

The only reason the creature hadn't continued threatening the kings life was because the black fog surrounding him had come alive with white electricity. King Dedede crinkled his nose as his mind convinced him that the smell of burning flesh penetrated the air. He wasn't even sure if this creature _had _flesh to burn! Those burning black eyes slowly faded back to light purple as the electricity died down. When the current stopped completely, the only noise that could be heard was a low pant. Neither King Dedede or the visitor spoke for years, but was actually a couple of minutes. Surely, someone must've heard that commotion, but after more time passed and no one pounded on his door, the king figured that were safe. Now the penguin and visitor sat in silence. King Dedede knew he would not be the first one to speak up. Luckily, he wouldn't have to be.

"_That will not happen again." _Was all that was said. The voice sounded defeated and heavy. King Dedede jumped to his feet. Now that that scene was over with, King Dedede had gained some gusto back, and was eager to use it. He pressed his forehead and palms against the glass mirror, forcing himself not to shudder at how unnaturally cold it was.

"WHAT WAS-" He bit his tongue, reminding himself to speak through his mind. He may not like his visitor, but he still didn't want to wake the castle occupants. _"WHAT WAS THAT?! Who in the world do you think you are, acting like this in front of the great King Dedede?!" _When the lavender eyes flashed black for less than a second, King Dedede backed up an inch. He may be acting brave, (or what he considered brave,) but he wasn't going to act stupid and force this creatures wrath upon him again.

"_Nightmare does not tolerate weakness or failure in his higher ranks." _King Dedede waited for the visitor to explain further, but no response came. He was about to demand more information, but was interrupted. Too swiftly to be a coincidence. The visitor had purposely stopped King Dedede from asking for more information. _"I will just get to the point. Nightmare needs Kirby. With him. Alive. You want revenge against Kirby for his wrongdoings against you. Nightmares plan is this. You assist him in luring Kirby to his location, and by Novas grace, he swears you will never have to worry about Kirby the Star Warrior for the rest of your days."_ King Dedede thoughtfully crossed his arms, and pondered this. So many unanswered questions plagued his mind.

"_You've got to tell me, though...Didn't the Star Rod kill Nightmare? If not...where is Nightmare right now?" _The visitors reply was quick.

"_Nightmare has found a...back door, so to speak. Yes, the Star Rod defeated Nightmare, but it did not kill him. Nightmare is brilliant, and before he grew too weak, fled to a new world. One that welcomed him with open arms." _The idea that a world would _welcome _the king of nightmares made King Dedede cringe. That tiny voice in his mind had gained some ground. The visitor noticed this. _"King Dedede, do you accept Nightmares deal?" _The king did not answer right away. He rubbed the back of his neck, and avoided eye contact with the visitor at all costs.

"_I don't...maybe..." _He was slowly losing ground on his initial plan on getting revenge on Kirby. King Dedede had been certain for years that he would take the first chance of revenge he could get, but now that he was being offered this, he faltered. Was it...too much? Did Kirby really deserve something like this? He gritted his teeth. King Dedede knew this was very much unlike his usual behavior, but then again, he had never been faced with a choice this daunting before. It was a true test of character.

The creatures purple eyes seemed to slowly dim as he tried to keep calm. _"I need an answer for Nightmare, King Dedede." _He barked through unseen bared teeth. _"Do you want Kirby to stay in Dreamland? Do you want him to continue making you look foolish?" _The visitor was growing frantic._ "How can you call yourself a King when you let a commoner run your very existence!" _King Dedede now bore his gaze right into the visitors glare.

"_Kirby does not control me." _The king muttered, his brow shiny with sweat. A loud cackle resonated through the bedroom, and King Dedede was once again sure that someone would soon be at his door.

"_Tell me of one day where your thoughts were not absolutely consumed with ideas of revenge and hatred against him." _When King Dedede did not make an attempt to reply, but instead bore his teeth instead, the visitor let out a very low and sinister laugh._ " I know you better then you know yourself, _Sire. _You don't loathe Kirby because he's making you look foolish. You loathe him because, for the first time in your pathetic life, you are realizing that you truly _are _foolish! Kirby is the mirror that your commoners force you to gaze upon everyday. And the reflection you see is WORTHLESS."_

King Dedede had slowly turned his back to the mirror, knowing that the moment he looked back into those dead purple eyes, he might regret whatever comes next. This creature made his blood boil hot with anger. His words made King Dededes entire core shake and his mouth taste salty and sour. How _dare _someone speak to the King this way. The very idea that the King considered himself foolish could be laughable if not for the way it had been screamed. King Dedede fought an inner struggle with himself. If Kirby did not control his fate, then why was he reconsidering his revenge? Everything was perfect. Kirby would be gone, and the King would once again be the head honcho around these part. Perfect, perfect, perfect.

And yet...He knew he was being manipulated by this stranger. His actions would not truly be his own, but ones forced upon him by the visitors venomous words. King Dedede took a couple of calming breathes that did nothing but gave him time to think.

"I will think about it." He said aloud. King Dedede felt confident that giving himself time to think things over would be the right thing to do. A low hiss filled the room that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on edge.

"_Dedede, turn around."_

The king could've easily ignored the demand, but he found his head ever so slowly turning backwards. He glanced over his shoulder for only a second, but the look was long enough to last a life time. The black fog and dead purple eyes had vanished, and in their place was a reflection of King Dedede. But to his horror, his face was bruised and bloody, obviously thanks to the multiple telepathic punchs he had received. His right eye had swollen to a hideous size that would be hard to explain in the morning, and his temple and forehead had also turned an unnatural shade of purple and black. His lower lip had split, which would explain the salty taste in his mouth. King Dedede ran a hand over his lip, and he pulled back a stained mitten. When King Dedede fully turned his gaze to the mirror, it horrified him that he could not hide the absolute _fear _that was sewn onto his features.

"_What did you do to me?!" _He screamed in his mind. It was a rhetorical question, but the visitor answered anyways.

"This _is what your commoners see when they look at you.A beaten, scared, and defeated old King who would do the world a favor if he just laid down and _died." The King tried to pry his eyes away from the reflection, but found he could not. _"Do not fool yourself. Even before Kirby, you had no respect. Your rule is laughable, and leadership abilities are nonexistent. But before Kirby, you had one, small thing. The power of illusion. You made your people think they needed you. When Kirby arrived, he took away the one thing you ever had, and is now leaving you to rot." _The King shook his head, the action giving him a horrible migraine.

"I am a great King." He mumbled weakly, not sure who he was trying to convince. His entire arm shook as he reached out a robbed arm, touching the spot on the mirror where his black eye was. He had hoped it was an illusion, but the salty taste in his mouth kept reminding him that this was cruel reality.

"_Did you know Escargon sometimes dreams of becoming king?"_

"_Did you know that Meta Knight did not join out of loyalty, but so he could protect Kirby from you?_

"_Did you know that the Cabinet Minister only praises you unconditionally because he doesn't want to lose his home?"_

Like a nightmare turned hellish, a thousand red eyes surrounded the reflection of King Dedede. But the eyes did not look at the reflection, they bore their gaze into the _real _King Dedede. He launched himself away from the mirror, and couldn't help but look each and every scarlet eye straight on. Were the eyes only in the mirror? Were they floating above him? He could feel them drilling holes through his conscious. He was going to be sick. He was going to pass out. He was going to scream. Finally, the dreaded pair of lavender eyes appeared, floating right above the reflection of King Dedede. They held no malice or hellish fury. In fact, they looked accomplished and, of all things, understanding.

"_King Dedede, it is time you wake up from this dream world you have created. A new era is approaching, and if you do not want to continue living in false paradise while the rest of the world scorns your very life, you must agree to the plan Nightmare has created. You will have your revenge against the pink cretin. I can promise you that he will feel pain unlike any that he has every endured before. And when he is taken to the edge of death but denied its embrace, we will let him know that you are the one to thank for all of it. You will, for the first time in your life, be able to look into a mirror and see the powerful King that you strive to be." _The eyes started to vanish, one by one. _"Majesty, I ask again...Help Nightmare capture Kirby, and your revenge will be secured. Do we have a deal?"_

King Dedede stood rooted on the spot. His entire body shook all over as his mind replayed the entire conversation over and over. And yet, despite feeling angry; horrified; and ashamed just a few moments ago, he now felt...nothing. The king couldn't understand this raw and empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. It felt like a hole had been ripped wide open and he was missing something important. Something he needed.

Oh, wait, he knew what it was.

It was his conscious.

There was nothing left of him. Just an absolute basic _need _to make whoever had caused him pain pay dearly. He had been forced to look athimself for what he really was. A spineless, worthless, insignificant pile of shit.

And he hated Kirby for making him realize this.

King Dedede leaned against the glass with just his forehead. His reflection had faded and had returned to the black fog with those mocking purple eyes. He was tired. Mentally and physically. He wanted to lay down and close his eyes for a while. The visitor knew this, and did not press for the answer that he knew he would receive.

And receive it he did.

"I accept." Kind Dedede breathed weakly.

* * *

_Longest chapter yet! Almost five thousand words! I really did try to cut it short, but I really couldn't find a place to end without it being abrupt. And we also had one kind of important part and one __really__ important part to get through. But everyone likes long chapters, right?_

_My wrist has been just a bit sore for the last few days, so I'll be taken a slight break from writing until it heals up. Not too long though, promise!_

_Like, tweet, fave, comment, blog, date, blah blah IF YOU LIKE. (Just kidding sillies)_


	4. Where There's Smoke

With the King fully on board with Nightmare, the lavender eyed creature had pulled back the black veil, revealing his entire form. On the opposite side of the mirror stood a short creature with purple fur. His hat and shoes were much too big for his body, and he looked like a child. The entire mirror, aside from the visitor, was blacker then the Kings heart. Any other day, King Dedede would've busted a gut laughing at the small creature, but right now he still felt defeated.

"Who are you?" King Dedede asked out loud while taking a seat on the wooden floor. The now revealed purple skinned creature did the same, sitting across each other with only the mirror separating them. The creatures very large baby blue and gum red hat fell over his eyes, and he shook his head violently to uncover them. When that was finished, the creature regained his composure, and responded.

"_Your new best friend."_ King Dedede grunted, but didn't press the matter.

"_Okay...why are you helping Nightmare?" _The King remembered to ask through his mind. He was surprised when he didn't get a response immediately. And was even more surprised when he saw the creature in front of him twitch violently with a small yelp. He had been electrocuted. King Dedede flinched backwards, unsure if he was going to feel the creatures wrath once more. But fate shined upon him, and he was spared.

"_The same reason you're helping. I have a vendetta against that little pink bastard." _The visitor spoke slowly, like he was making sure to pick the correct words. King Dedede was paying full attention now. He had always believed he was Kirbys only enemy. King Dedede asked why was this, and the lavender creature scowled. _"I had ideas. Glorious ideas that would have shaped Popstar into the haven it could have been. But then _he _got in the way and ruined everything. I was so, so close too." _King Dedede nodded slowly, showing his absolute understanding. He was curious how this tiny creature could try to 'shape' Popstar. (King Dedede was certain he meant to say 'control.') But he did not ask.

"_Well, now that we're...best friends...what's the plan on catching Kirby?" _The King questioned while leaning forward, wanting to get started. _"All of my plans end up screwing up for some reason." _He added, slumping slightly forward in shame.

"_Nightmare has shown me all of your past plans and failures. He has left it up to decide how to capture Kirby. I have an idea, but I need more information from you. Tell me about Kirbys life. His friends. His hobbies. Where he lives. Where he likes to play games. Everything." _And so the King did. For the next hour, King Dedede told his visitor everything he knew about Kirby. From his young Cappy friends, to his small house on the hill, to his mentor Meta Knight, and even about Kirbys obsession with watermelons. When he finished, King Dededes throat was dry and cracking. He coughed a few times.

"_And that's about it. He lives a peaceful happy-go-lucky life with his bestest buddies. His life is as perfect as he can make it." _King Dedede spat, grumbling under his breathe. The lavender creature was silent, his eyes downcast and focused. King Dedede tried to read the visitors expression, but couldn't figure out what was running through his mind.

"_It is just after midnight where you live. Which means Kirby will be at his home and in bed, correct?" _King Dedede nodded, not knowing how wrong he was. _"Then we will strike in a matter of hours."_

"_So, you're just going to go to his house and drag him here? How do you plan on getting him to Nightmare? My transporter is gone...and I think Nightmares entire base is gone with it."_

The creature chuckled, shaking his head slowly. His expression held that he knew something King Dedede did not. The King sucked in a sharp breathe, biting his tongue to prevent any outbursts _"You see, that would give Pinkie too many chances to escape. Why _bring_ Kirby here, when he will come here on his own? _The creature started to explain the plan, grinning the whole while. At first, King Dedede was skeptical. He thought Kirby would be too smart to fall for it. But as the visitor added on details and ideas, all doubt was cast from the penguins mind. It was too perfect. It was, dare he say, flawless!

But then the last detail was added, and King Dededes diabolical smile faded into a scowl. "You plan to lure him here...by doing WHAT!?_" _The visitor merely raised an eyebrow.

"_You heard what I said. And speak through your mind, idiot."_

"Not in-..._Not in a thousand years, will I _ever _let you do that! No, no, NO!_"The King whined while crossing his arms, much like a toddler. The lavender creature snorted, his features showing complete annoyance. He rose, not taking his eyes off of the defiant king. His annoyance started to morph. The creature bared his teeth, and attempted to burn a hole through King Dedede with his glare. The King cringed.

"_You have already shown you are _completely _incapable of planning anything past step one. _This _is the plan. You _will _follow it, and whether you willingly go along with it or not is up to you." _Now it was the Kings turn to rise to his feet. He was a good few feet taller than his visitor, and attempted to intimidate his guest with this fact. It had seemed the King had gained his gusto back.

"_This is my _home! _And I'm not going to let you get away with destroying it. You just finished telling me how stupid and worthless you think I am, so now I'll show you I have some common sense. Think of a new plan! Or I'll think of a better-" _

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

Before King Dedede could finish the last word of his sentence, a black orb shot out from the glass mirror with the speed of a freight train. It nailed the King in the center of the forehead, causing his majesty to skid backwards and into the wall, shaking the room. King Dededes eyes shot open with horror as he fought to keep his breathing calm. He recognized this sensation before. _"This is...this is..."_

"_You recognize the presence of Dark Matter, I take it? Nightmare has told me of your encounters with the substance before. I figured it would be useful if you chose to defy me one too many times. And what do you know, I was right!" _The King crumbled to his hands and knees. He clawed at his head, trying to physically pry the Dark Matter from his mind. He had been taken over so many times in the past, he _refused _to lose this time.

But alas, all was in vain. A black fog started to rise from the now still King, who was still sprawled on the floor. Slowly, he rose, his movements almost mechanical. The fog disappeared, and all seemed normal if not for the Kings eyes being completely white. The visitor cackled, knowing he had complete obedience now. With the problem of King Dedede taken care of, the creature took a step forward, and another, and suddenly, his foot traveled _through _the mirror and into the real world. His short and round body was next, then his other foot. If anyone had been in the room (that wasn't in a trance) when the visitor traveled through the mirror, they would've seen a whole new creature. While the small lavender visitor had before been a perky lavender color with bright, if not sinister purple eyes, now the creature was a dingy gray. His furry skin looked rotted. His eyes were an infected yellow, and seemed ready to fall out of the creature's head at any moment. His clothing looked perfect. Not a stitch out-of-place. But it only made the appearance of this monster more horrifying. Like someone had reanimated a corpse. The creature smiled a toothy grin, exposing his decaying yellow fangs.

"Come, Dedede, let's get started." He kicked the door open. "Lead the way _oh great King." _He added on sarcastically. The Dark Matter did not respond, and like a puppet with its strings tangled, left the bedroom. He knew where the creature wanted him to go, and with King Dededes memories, he knew how to get their. The creature grinned, then slowly shut the door, making sure it did not squeak in the slightest.

**-OoO-**

_Kirby had looked into the black soul of Nightmare himself, and yet the cold and darkness he was experiencing now surpassed even the demon god himself. His entire body shook uncontrollably, sending painful spasms down his back each time. With his eyes screwed shut, he was left in the dark (quiet literally) about where he was, or if he was even alone. He was more worried about the latter then the former, because if he was correct, someone was standing behind him. Incredibly close. Kirby could feel a light puff of warm air on his shoulder ever few seconds which made him crave the cold. He would have to look eventually to see if his gut sense was correct._

_Instead of turning, he slowly reached a small pink arm behind him, and felt around. He touched frigid air. Kirby took a step backward, and still no one. Yet the small puffs of air persisted. Kirby had to admit then and there that he was alone. Perhaps the breathes were just part of his imagination, creating things that weren't there in order to frighten him. He clung to this grain of hope as he cracked open an eye. Kirby had to blink a few moments, almost thinking he hadn't opened his eyes. The world around him was pitch dark. Not a single streak of light to be seen. Yet, when he looked down, he could see himself perfectly, as if only he was being illuminated._

_He could also see demonic pink arms wrapped around his form._

_Kirby yelped with horror. He had even taken a step backward and moved his arm around just moments before! He had not been bound then! Yet Kirby struggled in the grip of his unknown captor. He made tiny whimpering noises in his effort to break free._

_His body was suddenly shifted to face the dead eyes of his captor. It almost seemed like the two eyes that now bore into his mind had belonged to a corpse. They were yellowed and crusty. The nasty and grainy skin might've once been a light purple, but now it was an unnatural shade of grey. A badly done stitch job went vertically through the center of the monster, some seams had come undone and were dripping black sludge. Kirby had the misfortune to get some near his eye, and it stung like acid._

"Hi Kiiiirby!" _The captor said in a voice way too cheerful for an undead freak. He grinned so large that he ripped the skin in his cheeks. His rotted teeth cracked in the monsters very gums. Kirby may not had recognized the corpse holding him captive before, but the peppy and slightly mocking voice had ripped any doubts away._

_Marx Soul._

"I'm coming for yoooou!" _And then Marx lunged forward, his teeth aiming for Kirbys heart._

Kirby woke with a spasm. He had twisted the blankets around in his sleep in a way that suggested he had trashed about just before. He did not move for many minutes, just continued to stare at the blank ceiling in a cold sweat. The soft breathing noises of his friends let him know that he had not woken them up. Every deep sigh they took made Kirby twitch violently with a quiet yelp, making him think back to his nightmare from just before. He had fought Marx a few months ago, but had not thought of the monster since then. Kirby had to believe that it was just Nightmare playing games with him, trying to psyche him out. Kirby had defeated Marx, and he had not seen him since. He had seen Marx Soul violently split in half. Nobody could've survived that.

Yet the uneasy feeling in the pit of his gut would not let him cease worrying. Kirby decided that the nightmare was getting to him, and that he needed to clear his mind before it really started to bother him. Luckily, he knew where the kitchen was. A double, double, double-decker turkey sandwich would calm him down.

As Kirby slid out of his makeshift bed, he froze on the spot. Behind him, someone was making very low whimpering noises. Kirby glanced behind him to see his friend Falala trashing about. Her eyes were slammed shut too tightly. Without a second thought, Kirby bounded over to his friends side, and lightly shook her awake. Her eyes shot open so fast that Kirby actually jumped. Falalas eyes were wet with new tears. Without looking at Kirby, she shot of her shared bed, and went to the window. The moon had lowered a few inches in the sky, signifying that it was the middle of the night. Looking around at the calm scene around her, she sighed with what sounded like relief. When she realized that everything was perfectly normal, she turned back toward Kirby, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry. Did I wake you up?" She whispered, threading her fingers through each other apologetically. Kirby shook his head no. His mouth twitched slightly as he tried to form the word. He had learned to talk a bit better since coming to Pupupu Village, but longer words still troubled him.

"...Nighmurr." He mumbled while pointing to his haphazardly thrown blanket and lopsided pillow. Falalas eyes changed from apologetic to understanding in an instant.

"Oh...was it really bad? Are you going to be okay?" Kirby pondered this for a bit, but in the end, shrugged. He didn't want to talk about it, and thankfully Falala understood this. Kirby pointed a stubby arm toward the door without missing a beat.

"Nighmurr? Eat?" He asked with a bit of cheer. He liked eating, but he loved eating with friends. It made the experience more fun. But alas, Falala shook her head no. She did crack a small smile at the offer, though.

"I'm gonna stay with Fololo, just in case he has a nightmare. I don't want him to wake up alone." She explained, and Kirby nodded. They both bid each other goodnight, and Kirby left the bedroom, shutting the door slowly and silently. He crept out the front door, and didn't stop tiptoeing until he was half way down the stairs. Knowing he was alone, he picked up the pace without fear of waking anybody up. He was just going to get his snack, gulp it down, then try to cram in a few hours of (hopefully) uneventful sleep. After a quick dash to the kitchen door, he yanked the door handle, and found to his horror that it had been locked. The Waddle Dees _always _forgot to lock the kitchen door after hours, and the _one _time he _really _needed food, they remembered. Kirby squeaked with anger and sadness, and yanked on the door handle a few more times. For a brief second, he contemplated becoming Fire Kirby and blasting the darn thing down. But he quickly threw that thought away, knowing he would end up waking half the castle if he did.

So now he was alone, scared, and hungry. Three of his least favorite things to be. How could he ever hope to go back to sleep now?! Swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat, Kirby decided to head back to Fumus bedroom at a trotting pace. He never realized how _creepy _Castle Dedede was at night, and even though it wasn't too dark, thanks to the lit torches, their shadows still played tricks on Kirbys mind, causing him to see monsters and creatures that weren't there. His pace quickened from a trot to a light sprint as Kirbys panic began to increase. He kept reminding himself that he was perfectly safe in the castle, and that nothing was going to hurt him. But his heart was being twisted into knots of extreme worry, and so he did not stop sprinting. After a few more twists and turns, Kirby realized, to his horror, he had taken a wrong turn in his blind panic, and was now lost. He knew the layout of the castle perfectly, but that was in the morning, and when he wasn't being chased by monsters forged from his imagination. Kirby had to force himself to stop running, and back track the way he had come. It was easier said then done, because he couldn't remember which ways he had twisted and turned moments before. Most of his choices were guesses, but he had at least managed to find a part of the castle that he was familiar with. Although it was on the opposite end of the castle, and now he would have to make the silent and terrifying trek back to the bedroom. But he preferred that to being lost. Kirby started on his way, making sure to keep at a nice and even pace to prevent getting lost again.

In fact, forcing himself to relax and go slowly actually helped him truly calm down. Calm enough that he even let himself take a quick break to sit on the window ledge and watch some shooting stars. Fumu had once taught him that shooting stars were not actually falling stars, but big rocks zipping through the sky at high speeds, creating giant flaming tails in their wake. Kirby thought that was neat, but he preferred to imagine the shooting stars were like little Warpstars. And each Warpstar had a little Star Warrior on it flying off to protect their home on some far away planet. It was a happy thought that made him coo with joy. In fact, he even reached out for one, hoping to make friends with the little Star Warrior. Sadly, the Star Warrior was obviously in a rush, because he or she zipped on past Kirbys offered hand. Kirby understood though. Saving people came before anything else.

Suddenly, Kirby silenced his soft cooing, and strained his hearing. Besides from the light crackle of torches, he could've sworn he had heard a new sound. A light metallic clicking sound. He glanced behind himself, but there was nobody there. His old fear started to return slowly. _Was _somebody following him? Kirby poked his head ever so slightly out the window, and looked left, right, up, then down. As he cast his eyes down, he located the source of the noise. Kirby couldn't tell if he was surprised or not to see that his wise mentor Meta Knight was up at this hour. The soft clicking noise had come from his sabatons, no doubt. Observing the area below him more thoroughly, he realized he was one story above Meta Knights usual perch. And it seemed that the knight had yet to notice the little pink puffball.

Meta Knight strode toward his usual spot, and stopped, his gaze was cast upwards towards the stars. Kirby ducked back inside for a moment, fearful that his old mentor would think he was snooping. But it wouldn't be snooping if he just watched the stars...and glanced down now and then. Kirby stuck his head out of the window just far enough for his eyes to see the knight. He did nothing for a while. Kirby wondered why Meta Knight didn't try making friends with the stars. The pink puffball figured that Meta Knight was friends with all of them already. For a while, both young and old warrior were motionless, their gaze directed upwards. Maybe it was a Star Warrior thing, but seeing the night sky full of glistening stars brought on a certain peace that nothing else could offer. Even Kirby, who preferred to be doing everything all the time, could feel a calm wash over him. Slowly, his eyes started to flutter closed. Kirby forced them open, not wanting to fall asleep dangling awkwardly over the window ledge. But the child was tired, and the serene night gently shut his eyelids.

Just as he slipped out of a lucid state of being, he heard a spine curdling scream that could only be duplicated by the monstrous Marx Soul. It had only been the start of another nightmare, but it had happened so suddenly that Kirby was jarred awake and sent into a slight spasm, causing himself to become dangerously close to falling over the edge of the window. He squeaked in surprised, and righted himself soon after. Kirby held onto the walls for a moment, just to make sure he wasn't going to go tumbling over any time soon. When he was sure he was safe, he exhaled a breathe he didn't realize he had held. Of all the monsters and demons he had ever fought, why was it Marx Soul that was currently haunting him? There was nothing remotely special about the purple monster. And yet...

"Kirby?"

Kirby jumped at the sound of his own name, and turned his gaze every which way. After a moment of panic, he realized the voice had come from under him, and when his eyes drifted down, Meta Knight was looking at him. Kirby realized that his squirming and squeaking from a minute before must've alerted the knight to his presence. Kirby squeaked an awkward hello.

"What are you doing awake? It won't be dawn for a few more hours." Meta Knight was used to Kirby sleeping at the castle, so it was no surprise to see the pink puffball. But it was a surprise to see him up so early. Or at least up so early and without a plate of food in his hand. Kirby fidgeted uncomfortably on the spot. He turned his eyes from Meta Knight, unsure if he should answer or not. He didn't want to worry his mentor about a problem that could mean nothing. Yet another part of him hoped the knight could offer some advice on what the visions meant. Kirbys eyes returned to Meta Knight.

"Nighmurr..." He mumbled while wrapping his arms as far around himself as they would go. Meta Knights gaze remained unchanged, and Kirby started to feel an uncomfortable weight. Finally, before his eyes became suffocating, Meta Knight spun back towards the sky, which had went from a pitch black to a dark gray. The stars had started to vanish as well. Kirby could only guess at what to do now. He stepped off the window ledge, and gently floated a few feet from where Meta Knight stood. The knight either did not notice his new guest, or ignored Kirby. The child padded behind his mentor, and lightly grabbed his deep blue cape. He gave it a very gentle tug, and was almost unsure if it would be enough to get Meta Knights attention. "Medanigh hada nighmurr?" He asked as well as his limited vocabulary could manage. Again, there was a long pause, then:

"I get them often. Even before Nightmare's defeat. You do not need to concern yourself." Meta Knight replied with no emotion. He did not turn to face Kirby, or even glance in his direction. Kirby once more yanked on his cape.

"Tell?" Kirby asked, hoping for an insight into the mind of Meta Knight.

"They are nothing you need to worry yourself with." Meta Knight replied swiftly. One more light yank of the cape, and:

"Tell anyway?" Kirby begged. His eyes had grown twice their size, and stared right into Meta Knights cold yet calm golden eyes. Silence, then Meta Knight sighed.

"I get flashbacks from the war. Demons killing my fellow soldiers. Sometimes...the demons ask why I didn't try to save my war brethren. It is nonsense, of course." For just the briefest of seconds, Kirby could've sworn Meta Knights eyes had turned a painfully deep blue. He couldn't put his finger on that emotion. But they returned to gold faster than Kirby could complete his thought. He thought Meta Knight was finished speaking, but he could hear a soft mumble. "Nothing could be done about their deaths. It was out of my control." Kirbys face turned to concern. He wanted to think Meta Knight was explaining this to Kirby, but in truth, it sounded more like Meta Knight was trying to convince _himself _that this was the truth. Kirby had a million things he wanted to say to the knight, but could not find the words to say them. He scrunched up his face as he tried to form the sentence he wanted.

"...Medaknigh do good! Help people here!" Kirby exclaimed while bouncing on his toes. "Help me lots! Good fwiend too." Meta Knight had finally turned his body slightly towards Kirbys, acknowledging him for the first time. His eyes seemed to soften a bit, but they still held a constant vigilance.

"Thank you, Kirby." Was all Meta Knight responded with, and that was enough for Kirby. He nodded with content "May I ask you a question, now?" Kirbys happy features faded into confusion. No idea what was going to be asked of him, Kirby nodded. Meta Knight hesitated before asking, as if he was reconsidering his desire for an answer. "...What are your nightmares like?"

Kirby visibly cringed at the one question he hoped to avoid. Meta Knight took swift notice of this, and turned away from Kirby and back towards the sky, which had lightened to a gray-blue. The stars were gone. "I am sorry, forget I asked anything." Kirby sucked in a breath, and decided to answer the question. He secretly hoped Meta Knight could offer advice on...what, exactly? How to stop the nightmares? That would come in time, he knew. Maybe if he could stop being scared by them? That also could not be done, it had to be taught. Kirby craved any sort of help or advice that would get the nightly terrors to end.

"I dream...monsters. No lil demons. Big ones." He held out his stubby hands as far as they could go to emphasize the point. "Dedede no order them. They...special mon'sers." He searched for an example, and came upon the dream he had just hours before. "'Member Marcs?"

Meta Knight searched his memory for a 'Marcs' but came up with nothing. He had to consider Kirbys limited speech abilities, and improvise. "...Marx?" Kirby nodded. "Yes, you fought him six months ago, if I remember correctly." Meta Knight put two and two together. "You have nightmares of Marx?"

"No jus' Marcs. _All _special en'mies." By special, Kirby hoped Meta Knight would understand he meant all the enemies he had faced that _weren't _slaves to Nightmare. There were so many, that sometimes the sheer number horrified him. When one evil overlord was taken down, another would try to take its place. It was a constant cycle that seemed to never end.

"Your nightmare's are of your past enemies _not _under control by Nightmares influence, and mine are of..." He trailed off, not wishing to complete the thought. Meta Knights eyes turned a deep green. "It seems to me these nightmares are the perfect warning for the Demon Gods return. These nightmares are invoking our greatest fears. Probably feeding Nightmare to boot." Meta Knight shut his eyes tightly. "How is it possible that Nightmare has regained power so quickly, I wonder. He should be vanquished for thousands of years. Soon becoming nothing but a legend before he rose to power once more. But now...it is certain that he is returning to power at an alarmingly rapid pace, but it's unknown how rapid. Nightmare is horrifyingly brilliant. I fear that his method was not found by sheer luck, but he planed it as a backup. Just in case the unthinkable happened and you did in fact defeat him. It would explain how he found the means to regeneration so quickly. Because he already knew it." Meta Knight suppressed a shudder. "Which makes me wonder what else he knows of that we do not. There will be no possible way to learn anything until Nightmare shows himself, and by then it might be too late." Kirby listened intently, focusing on each word Meta Knight spoke. He had never had to think so hard about any of his enemies plans or actions before. They usually appeared, announced their diabolical plan, then Kirby would go in and stop them. Sometimes it took a bit of creative thinking, but not once had he ever felt so helpless as he did now. He slumped forward, resting his chest against the large brick wall and folding his arms in front of him. He was stumped.

Old and young warrior added nothing more to the conversation, and watched the sky turn from murky blue to a lovely shade of red over the course of an hour or two. As the sun started to rise, it cast a scarlet hue over the entire land. Kirby squealed, loving how pretty everything looked at this time of the morning. He usually slept through it, much to his chagrin, but when he was awake to see it, Kirby loved every second. The sun was so alive. The color of a perfect campfire. He could even smell the smoke over the roaring fire.

Then he realized he really _could _smell smoke.

Meta Knight and Kirby spun around at the same moment, and gasped at the sight of smoke traveling through the castles hallway, bumping against the ceiling, then floating into the open air. Neither Star Warrior had a clue where the smoke was coming from, but like the saying goes; where there is smoke, there is fire.

Or in this case, an explosion.

* * *

_I think this is an odd place to end the chapter, but the thing is I actually ended this chapter 2000 words later, bringing the total to 7000 freaking words. I already think my chapters are too long, so I cut it off at the best place I could find. Which happened to be 5000 words, which is still crazy long I think. On the bright side, I already have 2000 words of the next chapter typed out!_

_Fave, like, comment, dance to, serenade, name a salsa after, review, blah, blah blah blah YOU SILLIES_


	5. Uneven Odds

The entire castle rocked on its foundation from the sonic boom. The rumbling continued, but not from another explosion. An _entire_ chunk of Castle Dedede started to happened in slow motion. Kirby could see each stone come loose and fall to the ground. Or see a brick crack, then become fine powder as it was crushed. For a moment, Kirbys heart stopped at the realization that his friends might be buried alive right now. He had to mentally go through the castle to figure out what the section of Castle Dedede held. His heart skipped a beat when he remembered that his friend's home was on the other side of the castle. Kirby knew they were safe, for now. But with the possibility of fire and the castle crumbling, he had no idea how long they would be okay.

Kirby was about to express his concerns to Meta Knight, but the elder had already charged into the walkway and toward the devastation. Kirby could see he was keeping as far right as possible, so he could breath clean air. Kirby bounced on the spot anxiously, unsure of what to do. He decided to go the opposite way, and find his friends. Kirby bounded forward, following Meta Knights idea of staying near the clean air. As he got closer and closer to the part of the castle his friends lived in, the smoke started to clear up. Another few hallways later, and the smoke was completely gone. Now with the worry of unbreathable air out-of-the-way, he put on a burst of speed, hoping nothing would happen along the way.

He turned one last corner, and collided with a steel wall.

It felt like a wall, anyways, but he had actually run into one of Meta Knights steel-clad knaves. Kirby stumbled backwards, while the figure Kirby had crashed into had taken a step backwards to right herself, and was standing straight before Kirby even realized who he had crashed into.

"Kirby?" The knave asked. Kirby recognized this voice immediately as a friend. It was Sword. And Kirby wasn't surprised to see Meta Knights second knave, Blade, standing only a few feet away.

"Do you know where that explosion came from?" Blade questioned, getting straight to the point. Kirby pointed to the direction he had just come from. Blade nodded his thanks, then beckoned Sword to hurry. But before either could move, Kirby started bouncing on the spot. Sword and Blade stared at each other in confusion, then turned back to Kirby. "Is there something else?" Kirby opened his mouth to respond, but found he could not figure out the words to use yet again. He cursed his limited vocabulary. In his excitement, he reverted back to his baby language of constant 'Poyo's'.

"Kirby! Kirby! Slow down! Describe what you're trying to say as simply as you can." Sword suggested softly. Kirby nodded.

"Ah...Ah...Cassle...broke...fell...Medaknigh go there! Lossa smoke too! Prolay fire!" Blade and Sword understood with a nod, and stepped towards Kirby.

"Can you take us there?" Sword begged, getting antsy. Kirby shook his head no, which startled both knaves, who were expecting an immediate yes.

"Gotta help Fumu and Bun and Fololo and Falala!" Kirby squeaked, trying to snake around Sword and Blade. Sword grabbed Kirbys arm.

"We need to know where the explosion happened! Kirby, please!" Sword turned to Blade. Kirby squealed with anger. "Blade, can you make sure everyone is okay? Kirby and I will go find Sir Meta Knight." Blade gave a quick nod, then turned back towards the way he and Sword had just come with his new mission in mind. "See? Blade will make sure they're all safe. Can you take me to Sir Meta Knight?" Before Kirby could answer, a second explosion vibrated the castle. That decided Kirbys choice, and he led the way with Sword bringing up the rear. The smoke had grown thicker in the few minutes Kirby had spoken with Sword and Blade, and even staying near the windows wasn't providing enough clean air. Kirby attempted to suck up as much smoke as he could, but the smoke he removed would just be replaced a few seconds later. They had to take quick breaks every hundred feet to clear their lungs. Soon after, they passed the spot where Kirby had been with Meta Knight just before, which was now obscured by a thick plume of smoke.

The sprinkler system turned on, trying to put out whatever invisible fire was causing this destruction. Sword and Kirby ignored it, and finally made it to the destroyed section of the castle. Meta Knight was still their, removing large chunks of debris. He moved his gaze from left to right, as if he was searching for something.

"Sir?" Sword started slowly. Meta Knight turned to Sword and Kirby so swiftly that it startled them.

"I hear Escargon. He's buried under the rubble!" Meta Knight returned to his previous action of tossing boulders aside. Kirby and Sword joined him without a word. Kirby was able to clear away much of the rubble by inhaling, but some of the chunks were too large or too stuck to be moved. He forced himself not to think of Escargon underneath one of the larger pieces, and continued to search. After moving around a few more of the smaller rocks, they all breathed a sigh of relief when the small group uncovered a half buried Escargon, still very much alive.

"Oh, thank God!" Escargon screamed, but then coughed violently. His breathing was very shallow, and the race against time started when they all realized Escargon was slowly suffocating. The smoke made their window of opportunity to save him extremely short. "Help me! Please!" Two large bits of castle debris were leaning against each other, and Escargon was trapped underneath the small gap they made. If one rock shifted, then Escargon would be crushed. They would have to get him out without moving the rocks. Meta Knight took the lead.

"Sword, help me pull Escargon. Kirby, start inhaling as hard as you can. Now!" No more words were exchanged as everyone did as they were told. Sword grabbed one of Escargoons shaky hands, and Meta Knight grabbed the other. Kirby concentrated as hard as he could, and started inhaling as Meta Knight and Sword yanked on Escargons hand. He cried out in pain, but that was all. Sword had to make sure he kept his footing, seeing as Kirbys inhaling was causing her to slip. Ever so slowly, Escargon started to slip free. One more strong tug, and Escargon was launched into Kirby, causing both of them to fly backwards. Sword and Meta Knight rolled out-of-the-way as the two stones crashed onto the ground, having been disturbed. When Meta Knight and Sword gained their bearings, they were greeted with the sight of Escargon covering Kirbys head in kisses.

"Oh! Oh thank God for you Kirby! Thank-" He had to stop, coughing out more soot and smoke. Kirby squealed with delight, pecked Escargon on the eye stalk, then wiggled his way out of the snails grip. Escargon now faced the knight and knave. "An-And thank you both! Oh my God, I would've _died _if it wasn't for you three!"

"No thank you's are necessary." Meta Knight replied coolly. "May I ask if you know anything about the destruction that has just happened here?" He tacked on. Escargon started coughing once more, and Kirby joined in.

"Sir, perhaps we should go somewhere with fresher air." Sword suggested, clearing her throat. Meta Knight looked behind him, where Escargon had just been buried. The smoke was starting to collect heavily as it tried to find a way to escape. With the walk way they had just come from just as thick as here, Meta Knight did what he thought was best. With a quick sword beam from Galaxia, he sliced a clean-cut through the crumbled castle. The smoke shot into the sky, which had turned an early morning blue. The area around the group cleared up enough to where they would not have to fear suffocation. Kirby and Sword did not question Meta Knights actions, but Escargon had jumped backwards.

"Are you crazy?! You can't just destroy...the...uh..." He realized that that section of the castle was already destroyed. He cleared his throat. "Right."

"Now, Escargon, do you know what happened? Anything at all will be of use." Meta Knight asked. Escargon ran his hand through his short goatee.

"Well...ah...I _think _I know. But I'm not too sure." He admitted. "I was sleeping, and I thought I heard something outside my door. So I took a peek, and thought I saw a big ol' shadow out of the corner of my eye leap away. I was certain it was his Majesty setting up a prank. So I started shouting. 'Sire, you better not be pulling anything!' I said. And I followed him. When I caught up to him, his back was turned. But..." Escargon started to look uneasy. "His Majesty was...he looked _wrong! _He was hunched over and looked...wrong! That's the only way I know how to describe it! An-and his eyes! They...there were no pupils! When he turned to me, they were completely white! And...oh my God, the entire walk way was on fire! How...I...Stone doesn't burn! How was it on fire?! But I swear, it was on fire! I cried out for the Majesty to run, and he did! But he ran _into the fire! _So then I screamed for him, and that's when everything collapsed!" He had started to pace, but now turned his entire figure toward Meta Knight. He clasped his hands together. "Please, _please _believe me! I'm not making this up!"

Meta Knight had his eyes downcast. They were a deep green. "Escargon, answer me this. With the walk way on fire, did it feel cold?" Sword, Kirby, and Escargon looked between each other, trying to understand the question. But soon, all eyes were on Escargon.

"Uh, well, I, uh." He sputtered, trying to form a proper sentence. "Well...I remember getting goosebumps when I took a few steps towards his Majesty. I thought it was from fear. But...maybe...it was from the cold...The fire wasn't sweltering like it should've been. It was _freezing._" He replied, not sure if he could remember. Meta Knight nodded. He shot his gaze towards Sword, who now stood at full attention, ready for orders. Meta Knights eyes were back to a bright gold color.

"Sword, get Escargon somewhere safe."

"Blade is making sure the Cabinet Ministers family is safe. Should I check on them too?" Sword questioned.

"No, I believe Blade will know what's best to do. Protect Escargon. If you find Blade, tell him to make sure everyone evacuates the Castle. Take them to Kabu and keep them inside." Sword offered a quick nod, then beckoned Escargon forward. He turned to Meta Knight.

"I saw the King was headed for the stairs before I was buried. I would suggest you check his throne room!" Escargon suggested. Without waiting for a reply, he started after Sword. When they were out of sight, Meta Knight now focused on Kirby.

"If Escargon is truthful, then I fear we are dealing with Dark Matter. We need to find the King. Keep your wits about you." Elder and child took an alternate route to the throne room, the direct route being blocked off by the debris. As they got closer to their destination, the smoke started to clear. When the grand doors to the throne room were in sight, there was no smoke. Meta Knight shoved the doors open, which were surprisingly unlocked. As soon as the doors opened, a giant plume of dark smoke escaped into the walkway, obscuring the view. The two expected many things to meet them behind the door, but when the smoke cleared, what they were greeted with was not one of them.

First, the king, who really was hunchbacked and broken, was setting fire to his own throne room.

Second, the king was not the only figure in the room.

Third, that second figure happened to belong to Marx.

Nobody moved. Even the King had stopped setting his throne room ablaze. While his gaze wasn't focused on anyone in particular, Kirby and Meta Knight had locked eyes with Marx. His mouth was agape, and his eyes seemed ready to fall out of his head.

"What" Marx snarled. "is _he _doing here?" Marx pointed his eyes towards Kirby. Before anyone could respond, Marx spun himself to face the possessed King Dedede. "You said it took _longer _then this to get to the castle!" During this brief exchange, it only took a glance at King Dedede to know that he was not in his right mind. Meta Knights hands inched closer to Galaxias hilt, unsure of where this conversation was going to lead. With Marx distracted, Meta Knight got Kirbys attention, pointing him in the direction of the fire with just a quick gaze. Kirby nodded. He would be able to transform into Fire Kirby if need be. Meta Knight was not making a move to attack, so Kirby decided to wait as well.

"He was telling the truth." The voice that spoke came from King Dedede, but it was much deeper and too rough to be his. Marx growled, baring his teeth.

"_Then why is he __here__?!" _Marx screeched, losing his patience. He hissed and ground his teeth together in what was his attempt to remain calm. Deciding that the brainwashed King was of no use to him at the moment, he spun back to Kirby and Meta Knight so quickly that it caused the duo to jump to full attention. Marxs ravenous face had subsided into a façade merriment. "Well, well, well! Isn't this a fun surprise!" His light-hearted tone was a jarring contrast to his bulging eyes, burning with poorly concealed hate. Neither Star Warrior dignified that statement with a response. Marx had expected one, but when silence met him instead, he pursed his lower lip. "Aww, you guys are giving me the silent treatment. You're hurting my feelings!"

"How are you here?" Meta Knight spoke each word clearly, finishing his question before anyone could take a breathe. Without being told, Meta Knight knew who this was, and knew that Marx should not be here. Not be _alive._

"How? Most people would ask '_why _are you here?'. Because that story would be much more fun to tell." Marx replied with an up-beat attitude. He started pacing slowly, taking his time with each step. His eyes were closed in thought. The fact that Marx was this calm while the castle burned around him put Kirby and Meta Knight on edge. Their guard was on top alert. "How are _you _here..._How _are you here...How are you _here..._How _are_ you he-really, that is the best question that you can come up with? Our great King told me that you were Kirbys 'super smart mentor that seems to know everything', and yet you ask the most _boring _question."

Meta Knight kept a stoney silence, trying to figure out Marxs game plan. But he had not expected Marx to be _alive. _He had little knowledge of what Marx was capable of, only being able to rely on the poor description Kirby had offered. Meta Knight had no idea what would happen next. His only guess could be a vendetta against Kirby. There was no other reason that made sense to him but that. But how would setting the castle ablaze solve anything? Why not just find Kirby and kill him out right? All these thoughts swam in the knights mind. As of now, he had to focus on protecting Kirby, and figure out how to help King Dedede free himself from the clutches of the Dark Matter.

Kirby, however, was certain that Marx could only be here for one reason. Revenge. Kirby would not let his friends or his home be destroyed again because an enemy was after him and him alone. This would be his fight, and he was going to stop this before it started. Kirby sidestepped in front of his mentor and took a fighting stance, his eyes never leaving Marx. Without opening his mouth, Marx chuckled. He continued to slowly pace, only giving Kirby the time of day for a moment before closing his eyes once more.

"You assume I want to fight, right?" Marx asked, his tone still has jovial as ever.

"Fire!" Kirby shouted, offering nothing more. Marx turned towards the blaze, as if he had forgotten it was there. The fire had not spread an inch since the duo entered the room. It was no natural blaze.

Marx gave Kirby his full attention now. He rolled his eyes. "Ooooh. You think the fire...no, no, no! You've got it all wrong! The fire wasn't meant to hurt _you_!" Kirbys mouth opened, trying to think of a reply, but found nothing. Marx sighed. "I guess since that cat's out of the bag..." He mumbled before beginning to pace once more, his voice back to normal volume. "I was just going to total this castle. Probably kill a bunch of Waddle Dees and a few of your friends. Let's see...if I'm right, their names are Fumu, Bun, Fololo and Falala. And you've also got Mety Knight there, and Sword and Blade. I'm right, right?" Kirby squeaked in surprise, which prompted Marx to grin with glee. "Oh! So I _am_ right! They live upstairs if I'm not mistaken. And the knights live somewhere down the hall. You met them a few years back. The girl is the one who controls your Warp Star because you are incapable of doing it yourself. Mety here trains you with the sword, and often throws you against his underlings for further testing." Before Kirby could question how Marx could know all of this, he continued. "Anyways, I was going to bury all of them in stone. _Why_ you may ask?"

He turned to Meta Knight briefly.

"See, asking _why _instead of _how _will offer a much more fun story!"

Back to Kirby.

"Why? Two reasons. Reason number one! I hate you." He spoke calmly, never betraying how he really felt inside. "I despise you. I loathe every single atom that makes up your Nova damned pink body. You sicken me to the very core of my being, and just being in the same room as you makes me wish I was dead...re-dead...re-_re_-dead." He shrugged to the best of his ability. "So I was going to kill them just to make you hurt. It would be a small victory for me."

Kirby growled, getting ready to attack Marx. He stomped forward, showing that he was declaring a challenge. Marx snorted.

"Keep your pants on, we'll get to that." He replied with little respect. "Reason number two! You would come charging into the castle to save the day. Once you learned all your bestest friends were dead, I would swoop in!" His bright and peppy smile faded into scorn. "But no! You weren't at your house, were you? If you were, you wouldn't be here right now! The one night you decide to wake up to watch the pretty sunrise! Dedede said it would take double the time it took you to show up! Which means you had to be closer. Damn it Kirby, _why weren't you at home?" _He hissed through gritted teeth. One of them cracked under the pressure. There was a mood killing moment where Marx yipped and flinched. A small stream of lightning trailed over his head, then was gone. Nobody could figure out what that meant.

"Why would you go to all the trouble of luring Kirby here? Why not just kill his friends, then go to Kirby?" Meta Knight demanded.

The moment of raw fury passed, and an expression of serene malevolence made its way to Marxs face. In some ways, it was scarier then his nuclear temper tantrums. It meant something big was about to happen. "_That's a seeecreeet" _He replied in a sing song voice. At this moment, Meta Knight unsheathed Galaxia. It's electric power rippled through the air before forming into the legendary golden blade. He held it up offensively, his golden glare as sharp as his blade. Marx snickered. "That won't get me to talk! My lord might get mad!" He put as much emphasis on the word 'lord' as he possibly could, toying with the minds of the Star Warriors. He didn't let them ask any questions. "Alrighty Kirby! You messed up my plan! So instead of doing things nice and easy, things have got to get ugly!" Both warriors squinted as Marx was enveloped in a beautiful white light, which morphed and grew every second. When the light went out in a quick flash, the ugly Marx Soul met them. Along with the rest of his rotting body, his wings looked slightly melted. The glass panels below them were cracked and fading. He had a hard time keeping his disgustingly long tongue in his mouth, which looked painfully dry. Whoever put Marx back together did not do a good job.

Marx loomed over Kirby and Meta Knight, looking each of them over like they were rare specimens of life. He now floated a few feet in the air, and was a head taller than Meta Knight. He used his size as an intimidation factor. Soon, his gaze focused on Kirby alone. "Here's the deal! You come with me peacefully or I drag you there kicking and screaming. You'll be screaming and I'll be kicking you!" He screamed with absolute joy.

"Go where?!" Kirby shouted, trying to pry some more information from Marx, but Marx wouldn't have any of that.

"I need an answer! I'm getting impaaatient." He said the last word in a sing-song fashion. Kirbys response was to clench his muscles, then jump back as he started to inhale. Marx hissed as he started fighting against Kirbys inhale, and managed to fly against the current in the end. The King had grabbed on to the royal throne, and although he looked emotionless, his grip was rock hard. Anything that wasn't bolted to the ground was sucked into Kirbys mouth. Including the fire and the smoke lining the ceiling. Kirby felt the familiar surge of power as he took on the Fire ability. A hat of flames sat on his head, showing he was ready for action.

Meta Knight took this as his cue, and swooped around Kirby, aiming a clean slice through Marxs center. Marx grunted as he instinctively tried to fly backwards to dodge, but ended up getting his skin sliced between his eyes. Instead of blood, a black goo seeped out. It dripped onto the ground, where it fizzled before becoming silent. Kirby cringed, remembering his nightmare where the black blood had burnt him. Now wasn't the time to think of that, though. Marx released a bloody war cry as he sent a volley of energized arrows towards his foes. Both managed to leap out of the way, and sent their own attacks at Marx. A fire blast and a sword beam. Now focused, he merely teleported out-of-the-way, but did not teleport back for a few fleeting seconds. They knew he was back when a blast of energy caught both warriors in the spine, sending them flying forward. Meta Knight tucked and rolled to his feet, and sent a sword beam back at Marx in the same beat. Kirby managed to land on his feet just to have the inertia throw him onto his back. Slightly dazed but not injured, he rose to his feet and started to launch individual fire balls at his enemy. Marx spat out his own ball of energy to shield himself from the sword beam, but grunted and took the hits from the fire. His skin was singed, but it was almost impossible to tell on his already ruined body.

Both warriors took the offensive, and got up close to Marx. Kirby started blasting him at close range while Meta Knight skillfully brought down his sword in what was a kill strike. Marx teleported once again. Kirby saw this coming. He spun on his heels and blasted Marx, who had been about to strike. The jester skid backwards, digging his heels into the ground to stop moving. Neither Star Warrior gave him the chance to recover, and both started to volley him with fire balls and sword beams. Each one slicing and cooking Marx from the outside in. They could hear his screams as he was mutilated. A thick wall of dust and powdered debris covered Marx, making it impossible to see him.

Kirby and Meta Knight ceased fire, but did not relax. They both crept closer to the dust, getting ready to strike. They knew Marx now had the element of surprise on his side if he had managed to survive, so glances over their shoulders happened every few seconds. When the debris settled, he was gone. At this cue, Kirby and Meta Knight stood back-to-back, looking to every corner of the room to avoid being caught by surprise. But their attacker was nowhere to be seen. His low and sinister laughter filled the air, making the atmosphere feel tense.

"Well, I didn't expect you two to work together so well! A mistake on my part that I won't make again." Silence, then: "Things are a bit unfair. I'll even the odds." A change of color near King Dedede had Meta Knight and Kirby giving him their full attention. Marx had appeared next to the King. The jester was badly hurt, but not out of the fight yet. He had multiple gashes on his body that seeped black blood. His wings looked ready to disintegrate at the slightest touch. "Dedede, you take on Meta Knight. And I'll play with Kirby!"

King Dedede grunted his response, then charged at the elder knight with speed that was not his own. Meta Knight barely had time to register this when he was forced to sloppily dodge a downward punch by the King. The impact left a crack in the floor tile. King Dededes large frame blocked Meta Knight from Kirbys view. He tried to rush to his mentors aid, but Marx swooped down and picked Kirby up in his moment of distraction. Kirby cried out in horror, but it was drowned out by Marxs diabolical laughter. His gloating caused Kirby to snap back to reality. He clenched up once more, and felt his core beginning to burn. He released this sensation by igniting his body with a bright pink flame. Marxs screams of delight turned to pain, and his grip loosened. Instead of dropping Kirby, he threw the pink child to the ground with enough force to cause some floor tiles to fly into the air. When Marx landed near Kirby, he was sure there were three Marxs now! He didn't get a moment to clear his head before Marx spat another barrage of arrows at him. Kirby saw these coming, but they were too quick for him to be able to do more then hold his arms up in defense and pray it wouldn't hurt too much. Kirby knew from experience that Marxs attacks all those months ago had never been this painful before. Something was definitely wrong.

After a few close calls, Meta Knight had picked up on King Dededes speed, and could now dodge with little effort. What worried him was the power behind these punches, and if one did connect, they could seriously disorient him. One mistake was all it would take. The knight had not yet gone on the offensive, not wishing to hurt who he thought was an innocent victim.

"My liege! You are under the control of Dark Matter! You must fight against it!" Meta Knight shouted as he dodged another punch. Another thing he noticed was how relentless the King was. Each punch was as powerful as the last with no sign of tiring out. Meta Knight had high endurance, but he would not be able to dodge forever. "Sire! I have lost a close friend to the power of darkness! If you do not fight against it, then only one option will remain!" To prove his point, Meta Knight struck the King on the temple with the side of his blade. The Kings frame buckled, and he landed unceremoniously on his side. King Dedede lay motionless, but Meta Knight did not let his guard down. He held Galaxia in a defensive manner, and crept closer. The bash to the head would not be enough to kill, so he hopped for unconsciousness. Instead, the King suddenly came back to life, kicking with a low sweep. His foot caught the edge of Galaxia, but there was enough power behind the attack to send Meta Knight skidding backwards a few feet. He righted himself, and could see King Dededes foot had been sliced on the blade. Hopefully this would slow the King down, but Meta Knight had low hopes for this. Dark Matter was parasitic. It would use its vessel until it dropped.

Meta Knight ducked as a barrage of arrows came soaring just inches above his head. The attack wasn't meant for him. It was one Kirby had dodged from Marx. With the few seconds of respite he had while the King got to his feet, Meta Knight launched a sword beam at Marx. He had not seen the attack coming, and was shot out of the sky, a loud shriek cutting the air. Meta Knight then dodged another downward punch from King Dedede, pleading with him to fight against the Dark Matters influence.

The sword beam from Meta Knight had given the Kirby the chance he needed to launch a wave of fire from his mouth at the jester. He charged through it, screaming in pain before slashing at Kirby with his three decayed claws jutting out of his wings. Kirby squeaked in surprise, and backed off. He could feel the blood started to seep from the wounds just above his right arm, which he had to force himself not to grab at. He focused his gaze at Marx, and was met with a disturbing sight. The jester was rabid. Small dollops of foam littered the floor beneath him, and more dripped out of his mouth. The only emotion the jester could feel was nuclear wrath. Again, small streaks of electricity traveled over Marxs body, causing him to twitch but nothing more. Before, the zaps had forced Marx to settle down, but now he was too deep within his hatred to care about the slight pain. The adrenaline coursing through the jesters body numbed every feeling but the twisted darkness in the center of his heart. All that was there was him, Kirby, and his bitter hate. Even before, when Marx had become Marx Soul for the first time, his insanity had been, for lack of better terms, playful. Like every move he made against Kirby was a silly game. That didn't mean that the demented playfulness of the first Marx was any less scary then _this _Marx, but this Marx was dangerously unhinged. There was nothing left but hate and anger. Kirby could tell that the jester was going to do everything in his power to make sure Kirby felt the worst pain of his life.

Kirby backed up a few feet, and jumped when he ran into something. Or rather someone. Meta Knight had backed up at the same moment as Kirby. Without a word, the Star Warriors stood back-to-back, facing down their own opponents. King Dededes knuckles were a bloody mess now. Marx tottered back and forth slightly, the only thing keeping him on his feet was his hate fueled adrenaline.

Then Marx chuckled.

He snickered, he chortled, guffawed, howled, shrieked, and rolled with horrible laughter. Kirby knew that whatever tiny string of sanity that had attached Marx to reality had just snapped.

"You think you're winning, don'tchya?" Marx slurred his words. They came out too fast, like he was speaking before he thought about it. "You land a couple of heavy blows and suddenly you're the king of the Nova damned world!" Marx started to pace, and Kirby made sure not to let the jester leave his line of sight for a second. Meta Knight kept his guard up as well, making sure King Dedede did not try a surprise, but also being there just in case Marx pulled something. "Well, well, well, I am happy to announce you have officially lost this fight!" And with those words, the collective temperature in the room dropped dangerously. Even with the fire from Kirbys hat, the cold bit into everyone. Meta Knight and Kirby twisted and turned, trying to figure out what caused the temperature change, but also making sure not to leave their charges alone for more then a moment. A quick movement and sickening splash caught both warriors attention. At first, neither warrior believed their eyes, but what they were seeing was the truth. In the spots were Marxs blood at been spilled, it started to turn to a thick black fog. Kirby had done some serious damage to Marx, and for every drop of black goo that splattered the floor, a plume of fog rose from it, growing bigger and bigger at a worrisome pace. Their attention was drawn back to Marx when he screeched with joy. "You guys never really asked the most important question about me! I died, then came back to life, then died again, then came back to life _again!_ It just seems like I don't know how to lay down and die, huh?" Marx stubbed the toe of his boot into a pool of his own blood, observing it carefully. "Dark Matter is pretty nifty stuff. It can do lots of things. Take control of people, give them increased speed and strength, cause horrible nightmares...revive the dead."

Each ball of black fog had formed into its own entity of Dark Matter. They were slightly smaller then usual, but their had to be at least thirty in the room. Size wouldn't be much of an issue. Every single eye bore into Kirby, causing the child to flinch uncomfortably under the many gazes. Both warriors faced Marx, getting ready for the next attack.

"Dedede!" Marx shrieked. Meta Knight jolted when he realized his rookie mistake. He had taken his eyes off his enemies in his horror. He didn't bother turning around, only focusing on rolling to the side, trying to avoid whatever attack the King decided to throw at him. Instead, he made a gagging noise as the King slammed a large foot onto his cape, pinning him to the ground. Meta Knight flopped ungracefully onto his back. Kirby dove at King Dedede, planning to shoot a fire ball near his head to startle him, but King Dedede only had to swat Kirby with a large hand, sending the puffball soaring into the nearest wall and knocking the copy ability right out of him. With Kirby dazed, King Dedede only had to move his foot to dodge the incoming stab from Galaxia with the intent of slicing his foot. With his free foot, he stomped on Meta Knights arm, and heard a sickening crack as the bone jolted out of place. Meta Knight hissed with pain as Galaxia clattered to the floor. His vision was pulsating as he fought the urge to cry out. Meta Knight knew he was in too awkward of a position to pick up his sword with his left hand and yield it, and was at the mercy of the possessed King unless a miracle occurred. What happened instead was his body become ten times heavier as King Dedede used one hand to hold both of Meta Knights arms behind his head, and used the other to shove Meta Knights face into the ground. Meta Knight grunted when his dislocated bone jarred into another uncomfortable position. Meta Knight struggled, but even with his body coursing with enough adrenaline to kill an elephant, the King did not budge. King Dedede was strong, the Dark Matter made him all the more stronger.

With Meta Knight subdued for the time being, Marx paid no attention to the King or the knight. His psychotic yellow eyes rested on Kirby, who had managed to pry himself from the dent he had made in the wall. When Kirby turned to his attacker, he flinched painfully under the gaze of thirty one deadly glares. Without his mentor, Kirby would have to fight everyone alone. His core shook, but he showed no fear as he got ready to inhale again. But before he could manage it, every single Dark Matter charged him, and dove straight into his mind.

* * *

_Uh oh! Meta Knight and Kirby are in trouble! Let's hope things go better for them soon! _

_Longest chapter yet! It's more than 6000 words! :O But there was no way I'd be able to cut it off anywhere else but here. In fact I had one more paragraph written for this chapter, but found I would just be prolonging ending chapter 5. So I moved that paragraph to chapter 6, and we're left with 6000 words!_

_Review, rate, comment, like, tweet, share, follow, pantomime, juggle, sing along with, and ENJOY this chapter!_


	6. Kicking and Screaming

"KIRBY!" Meta Knight shouted with total horror. He struggled and kicked under King Dededes girth, but all in vain. He was forced to watch as his pupil withered in pain, crumbling to the floor as the Dark Matter infected his body. Meta Knight realized that he couldn't tell if Kirby was dead or not. His eyes burned red with a hatred he did not know he held for anyone other than Nightmare. Meta Knight wanted nothing more than to take Galaxia and slice that cretins Marx in half.

Marx grinned so hard that he split the skin covering his cheeks. The lavender monster took a few confident steps towards the fallen pink warrior, and nudged his side once. He waited, then nudged it again. When Kirby did not stir, Marx burst into horrible laughter. He slammed his steel toed boot into Kirbys side, sending the puffball soaring a few feet. When he hit the ground, not even a groan escaped his lips. Kirby couldn't be dead! He just couldn't be! Dark Matter did not kill its host directly like this. It controlled them, then led them into the line of fire. Of course, this was when one or two infected a person, not _thirty._

"You _animal. _Using such a dirty means to win a fight, then attacking a defeated opponent. Have you no honor?!" Meta Knight hissed, his red eyes pulsating to the rapid beat of his heart. He cringed as King Dedede twisted his arms, sending a fresh jolt of pain through his body. Marx snorted, casting the knight little more than an annoyed glance.

"You're just upset that I have the better toys." Marx picked up Kirby by his feet, and looked over the limp figure with curiosity. "I still can't believe that this little pink..._beach ball_...was able to defeat Nightmare." Marx mumbled this to himself, smirking with disbelief.

"Kirby defeated you as well. _Twice_." Meta Knight sneered. He got the desired reaction, and Marxs once maniacal face turned sour. He whipped his body toward the downed Knight, still clutching Kirby in his claws.

"Ooooh trust me, I remember that. I remember every second. I wouldn't be here if the mere thought of Kirby didn't make me boil. But that's okay. Want to know why? Because he killed me once, I'm going to make him feel the worst pain he's ever felt." His sour look split, and was replaced by a demonic smile. "Because he killed me twice," He started in barely a whisper. His tone had shifted to freezing. "I'm going to thank him." Meta Knights eyes said it all as they flashed a bright green, but Marxs low chuckle brought them back to red. "Yeah. I'm going to thank him. If I hadn't died that second time, I wouldn't be so close to ruling the whole _Nova damned universe!_" His voice had gone high with joy. He ended his statement with a cackle. Meta Knight clenched his teeth so hard his jaw started to burn. There had to be a way out! A way to save Kirby and drive back Marx! But with King Dedede pinning him, he was immobilized. Galaxia was only a few inches in front of him. If he could just get a hand free for one second, that would be all the time he would need.

Meta Knight twisted his head as much as he could behind him. King Dededes feet were planted behind the fallen knight. His injured foot farthest away. The King loomed over Meta Knight, casting a shadow. He started kicking and struggling once more, and realized that while his hands were bound, his feet could still move.

"Well, Mety Knight, I must be leaving now. I'll be taking my trophy with me." Meta Knights blood ran cold. "There are _plans _for this one."

He had heard enough. Despite preaching of honor only minutes before, desperate times called for desperate measures. He lifted his paladin as high as it could go, its sharp toe glinting. He brought it down upon King Dededes injured foot, piercing it clean through. Dark Matter could feel no pain in their natural form, but when infecting a host, they were susceptible to whatever its host felt.

And right now King Dedede had a metal spike rammed through his foot.

The King gasped, releasing Meta Knights arms for only a second. The knight lunged for Galaxia, grabbing it with his good arm, although not his dominant hand. In one fluid motion, he spun and launched the sacred blade at Marx, aiming for between the eyes. But because he was using his weaker arm, it veered slightly off course, and instead clipped the wing that was holding Kirby. Marx screeched and dropped the puffball, his wing now bleeding just a few inches from where it connected to his body. Marx realized his mistake too soon. Meta Knight had already scooped up Kirby with his injured arm, grunting at the added weight. He could hear Marx unleash an unnatural shriek, but did not look back.

Meta Knight bolted out of the throne room and toward the direction he had found Escargon, knowing that he had slashed a hole through the roof. He hoped to use that as his escape route. Galaxia was in his left hand, held as sure as he could. Kirby was coddled in the knights injured arm, a firm grip on his form so the pink warrior would not slip. Despite Meta Knights eyes being their natural color, he felt anything but relaxed. His heart pounded so hard in his chest he was sure it was going to stop beating. Meta Knight almost decided to stop and check if Kirby was breathing, but a sudden familiar hiss close behind him told the knight that would be a very bad idea. With his constant twisting and moving, he couldn't even tell if there was a pulse. It drove him mad to be so close, but to not know! Meta Knights mind raced faster than his heart. Every single option for escape or hiding filled his head, all vying for his consideration. Could he lose Marx in the basement? Would another good throw of Galaxia skewer the demon? Could he pray that Dyna Blade would suddenly swoop down and save him? He could do a lot of things, but none of them would get rid of Marx for long. On the bright side, it was only Marx chasing them and hissing like a rabid animal from hell. King Dedede was no where in sight.

Some bright side.

Another section of the walk way crumbled as Marx fired a giant wave of energy from his maw. Meta Knight could feel the heat on his back as he put on another burst of energy to dodge. Marx screamed, dodging his own destruction before bolting toward his prize. It seemed no matter where Meta Knight turned, Marx kept an even pace with them. There was no way he would be able to fight with Kirby in one hand and Galaxia in his other weak hand, but running wasn't getting them any results either. He would not give up. There was always a way out.

Meta Knight felt his heart explode when Kirby shifted in his grasp. He strengthened his grip, but found that it was not Kirby falling that caused the movement, but Kirby _himself _who moved. Meta Knight felt a giant weight lifted, knowing the young warrior was alive. Kirbys eyes fluttered open half way, giving him the appearance of being drowsy. But they were not the bright blue he had come to expect. They were ghostly pale, just a shade above white. But...the warrior was alive! He was _alive!_

But he was also infected with a cluster of Dark Matter drones. Meta Knight realized that now with Kirby slowly waking, he may run into the biggest problem of all. Having to fight an infected Kirby _and _a psycho half dead monster. He swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. Kirbys eyes drifted closed once more than open not a moment later. They never opened more then half way, even if the small warrior was making a tremendous effort.

"Kirby?" Meta Knight whispered. It came out as more of a gasp, being out of breath from running at full speed. Kirby scrunched up his face in pain and groaned.

"Meh-Knie..." Kirby could barely speak in more than a whisper. But that whisper was all the encouragement that the knight needed. Kirbys voice was his own. Not some scratchy replica, but his own natural squeaky, if not very weak, voice. The pink warrior was fighting off the infection, and considering how devastating it was, that was no small task. When Marx shrieked, Kirby tried to turn away from the noise. Meta Knights eyes flashed light green, then red, then back to yellow. He took a small risk, and spun on his heel to send a powerful crisscrossed sword beam at Marx. It hit the monster dead on, and sent him crashing to the ground. Now he had the choice. Stay and fight, or escape. The choice was easier to make then he thought, and he continued sprinting down the hall. This could be his only window of opportunity to escape, but running blindly through walk ways was not the solution. He could find no doors to sneak into, and no stairs to climb. He was stuck on a straight path, and he begged that he would come upon his planned exit soon.

Fate spat on the duo as they came upon the created exit, but found that it had caved in while the fight with Marx and King Dedede took place. Meta Knight cursed violently while turning every which way. It was a dead-end. If he went backwards, he would have to face Marx. Forward was not an option. To his left was more rubble, and to his right was a long fall into the moat of Castle Dedede. He had three choices. Fight, surrender, or jump. The first one would get both of them killed. The second one would _still _get both of them killed. The third choice _might _get both of them killed. As bleak as the options where, that last choice would be their best choice. And with Marxs rabid snarling getting closer, it turned out it was their only choice.

Meta Knight leaped onto the stoney rock railing that lined the edge of the walk way. The drop had to have been at least a five-story fall into the water. His safety was of no concern in this jump. He had survived a 50 foot fall into rapid waters, all while riding a spastic monster years ago. But now he had to account for the weak child in his arms. He would not be able to clench up at the last moment, or dive the correct way for that matter. And to truly lose Marx, they could not resurface too quickly.

"Kirby?" Meta Knight lightly patted Kirbys cheek, trying to wake him up. The child moaned an inaudible response, but it showed the knight he was awake. The shadow of Marx was starting to appear from around the curve. They had seconds left. "Just...hold on." Meta Knight let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and jumped.

The plunge into the frigid water was more painful than he had initially thought. To protect Kirby, Meta Knight had landed at an awkward angle on his back, sending painful spasms throughout his entire body. Star Warriors were natural survivors, and could hold their breathes for a long time. While Kirby had sucked in a breath before the plunge, any sudden attack by a Dark Matter on his mind could cause the child to gasp, thereby sucking in watery death. Meta Knight had to rely on luck. Due to his heavy armor, the duo started sinking to the bottom. Not only that, but his cape had started to twist around him in a way that made swimming almost impossible. Seeing no other choice, he slipped out of his pauldrons, leaving his shoulders bare, but removing the problem of too much weight and the problem of his cape. He only watched them sick to the bottom of the moat for a few moments before looking back toward the surface. He could feel his head becoming slightly light-headed, but ignored the pain. Kirby seemed to being doing fine, or at least not displaying any pain he might be feeling. They just had to wait a bit longer. Marx was not a patient person. He would leave to look somewhere else so long as they did not make themselves known. When ever the lavender monster decided to leave, Meta Knight knew where to go. But for now, he kept quiet and still.

If Marx was not rabid before, the hissing and pot shots with his lazer were a sure sign he had slipped over the edge. There he was. A dead-end. And not a single puffball in sight. He had blasted away large chunks of the rocks, thinking there had been a debris avalanche and his prize was now buried. But still nothing. And to make matters worse, his insides were constantly getting electrocuted because of his nuclear fury. Each shock caused him to shriek with pain, building to his anger.

"KIIIIRBY. METY KNIIIGHT. COME OUT, COME OUT!" He bellowed between shocks. His words were slightly slurred. He couldn't control his wrath anymore. It was his defining trait. The most important part of him. Everything he did, he did because his wrath drove him to do it. And he always succeeded **EXCEPT** when it came to that Nova damned little pink bastard! It drove him insane to know a _beach ball _could beat him twice. And then to have a bigger beach ball show him up? That was it. He was done. No more Mr. Sane-Marx. The jester peeked over the edge of the stone barrier, thinking for a split second that they could've jumped. But the jump was at least fifty feet, and he could see no bubbles or ripples in the water. He scanned the horizon with a look that could've set the fields on fire. No sign of any small blue creature.

Marx screamed nonsense, kicked a small rock over the edge of the castle, then started back for the throne room.

**-oOo-**

"Do you see them yet?"

"No..." Never had the young knaves Sword and Blade been on such high alert. They stood guard outside of the entrance to Kabu, swords at the ready. Blade had been the first to Kabu, bringing along Memu, Parm, the two children, and the two demon children. They were all singed and coughing up smoke, but no one had any permanent damage. Fumu had been hysteric about Kirbys location, but Blade had managed to put the worst of her worries behind her when he told her that Kirby was with Meta Knight. Sword had arrived twenty minutes later with a frightened Escargon trailing. Together, Sword and Escargon brought the others up to speed on what they knew. Starting with the horrifying behavior of the King, to Meta Knights cold reaction to the whole thing. They spoke of where the explosion occurred, and how unnatural the fire was. Fumu and Memu voiced concerns for the Waddle Dees, but Escargon let them know of the escape door in their quarters. Still...Waddle Dees were loyal and would not leave their King unless ordered. It wasn't a comforting thought.

The knaves knew Kirby and Meta Knight had rushed to the throne room to confront King Dedede, and by judging the length of time they had been gone (It was early afternoon now) it had been a while. Something must be happening, but the knaves did not move, knowing that their lord had trusted them with the lives of innocents. What would happen next was a mystery. Up in the sky, the smoke of the burning Castle Dedede drifted lazily above, as if it was a summers day cloud. It had gone from a deep black to a transparent gray, which was the only sign the knaves could look upon to know the worst has hopefully passed. Still, they did not move.

Inside Kabu, the seven civilians sat, anxious for what would happen next. Memu and Parm sat close to each other on the west wall. Bun sat next to his mother, playing with a small insect to distract himself from pure boredom. Fumu paced, turning so fast that her ponytail could be considered a whip. She held the source of Kirbys powers in her hand, the Warp Star. Fumu had been quick to suggest she call it for Kirby, but Sword had advised against it, stating that Kirby and Meta Knight could handle the King without it. Fololo and Falala sat upon the platform where the Warp Star was held. Both of them talked in hushed tones about nothing important. Just passing the time. Escargon sat at the east wall and away from everyone else. His eyes were closed. Whether from deep thought or just trying to catch up on sleep, no one could say.

The snails face scrunched up, as if he had smelled something foul. His eyes shot open, glaring holes into Fumu. "Stop pacing! If I hear another footstep I'm going to pull my hair out!" He barked while shaking his fist wildly. Fum halted. She had a snappy comment to give Escargon, but instead, exhaled hot air. They were all stuck in a tiny room, under attack by an unknown source, and everyone was anxious. Escargon was usually an irritable person by nature, but with the King acting crazy, he hit a new low. Fumu decided to just let things go. She sat next to her father with a huff. Parm put a comforting arm around his daughter's shoulder, hugging her.

"Sweetheart, I am absolutely certain that Kirby is alright." Parm comforted. "Even if he wasn't with Sir Meta Knight, Kirby is a brave warrior and can handle anything!" Fumu shrugged.

"It shouldn't be taking this long if the problem is just Dedede." She replied without missing a beat.

"Missy, I don't know who that brokencreature was that ran through the fire like it was nothing, but it most certainly was _not _his majesty. The problem isn't the king, it's whatever that _thing _is!" Escargon defended sternly, rising from his seated position to his full height. His gusto faded as fast as it appeared. He put his eye stalks in his hands and rubbed them. "Ooooh, who in the world could slander the great kings name like this? It's a tragedy! Heartbreaking! Pure evil!" Bun snorted, displaying the emotion everyone was feeling one way or another.

"Dedede's probably just snapped after being shown up by Kirby every day. Meta Knight and Kirby just need to thwack him once or twice to set him straight." He hadn't bothered to look up from his bug prisoner. If he had, he would've seen Escargons face contort into fury. Before the snail could start his verbal assault Memu, of all people, spoke up.

"Now Escargon." She spoke in her typical dainty voice. It was not harsh or annoyed in tone, but rather soothing. "You told us that whatever set the castle ablaze had the face of our king, correct?" Escargon nodded, a frown on his face. "But you also tell us that our king was hunched with soulless eyes?" Again, Escargon nodded. "This all leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It reminds me of the demon frog that possessed our sweet little Kirby all those years ago. Does anybody remember that?" Everybody could recall the events well.

"Or even that octapus demon!" Bun added. "It possessed Dedede and made him go all hammer psycho on Kirby! More so then usual anyways." Escargon looked from the small boy to the mother, and back again.

"So...are you suggesting he's possessed?" Bun shrugged, but did not reply.

"I am not suggesting anything I cannot be sure of." Memu replied. "But we all know that King Dedede has been possessed before."

"That is true, my dear." Parm said, rubbing his daughter's shoulder while looking to his wife. "But Nightmare is defeated! Banished from this universe and all! He could not possibly be behind this!" A slight _squish _noise could be heard, so quiet it was almost inaudible. The source of the noise had been Bun squishing his prisoner bug under his finger. He bit his lip, looking like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Fumu looked away from the group, eyes downcast. Fololo and Falala held each others hands, bumping elbows. Memu, Parm, and Escargon looked between the children, then at each other. "Nightmare..._is _gone, correct? Kirby vanquished him with the Star Rod if I remember correctly."

None of the kids replied immediately. Each one finding a spot on the wall or floor to stare at the avoid the piercing eyes of their questioners. It was Fumu who finally spoke up. She told them everything. Not just of the visit to Kabu. But of the nightmares the Star Warriors and demon children were getting. She explained to the adults of the warning Kabu had given them, saying Nightmare had found a new way to revive himself and would be back to full strength at a dangerously quick speed. When her story was completed, Memu nor Parm could even suck in a breath before Escargon threw up his hands.

"Well then, it has to be Nightmares fault for this then! He always short-handed his majesty, and now he's back for one more sick game!" Escargon shouted. Fumu crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't think Nightmare would waste a demon beast just to play a mean prank on Dedede." Her frown grew, going from annoyed to concerned. "But if this _is _Nightmares doing...he's gotta have something big planned." She put a hand to her chin, her eyes half closed. "Alright...so we know that Nightmare is coming back quicker then normal. We know that Star Warriors and demons are getting horrible nightmares because of it. We know that Nightmares means of resurrection is one he's never used before. We know that Nightmare and Dedede used to do business together. We know Dedede is acting strange" She looked to her mother. "Being possessed is a good possibility; and he's setting his own castle on 'unnatural' fire as Escargon put it, and blowing up part of it to boot." Her face turned red as she put her mind on overdrive, trying to figure out how these pieces fell into place. "Is there anything else?" She looked each person in the eye, but her gaze lingered on Escargon. "_Anything at all?_" She repeated, her voice slightly threatening. He crossed his arms, slightly offended at the accusation.

"I know as much as you do. Unless you want me to make assumptions." Escargon barked.

"Fumu?" Every head swiveled to the quiet voice which belonged to Falala. "I think I might know something else. But...well...it's kinda hard to explain. It'll sound weird." Fumu offered her tiny friend a comforting grin.

"Anything at all is useful, Falala. Could you describe it as best as you can?" Fumu hoped she did not sound as anxious as she felt.

"Well...It was a little bit after Kirby left. Kirby actually woke me up because I was having a nightmare." Fololo was quick to voice his worry over Falala, but the girl put his mind at ease. "It's alright, I hardly remember it now. Anyways, he had left to get some food, but I stayed behind. I was sitting out on the window ledge, kinda just zoning out. You know how Fumus bedroom is right above the castle entrance?" All knew. "I saw the King walking past it. But he was acting sneaky. Like he was trying not to be spotted! And there was this little...purple creature behind him! It looked about Kirbys size." Falala was jumpy, not sure how to continue or if she should even continue. Quiet honestly, she thought she sounded crazy. An encouraging hand squeeze from Fololo brought her back, and she continued.

"I cracked the window open a little, trying to figure out what was going on. And I...I over heard some stuff they said." She admitted. All hearts ceased to beat as they hung on Falalas every word. "The purple thing did most of the talking. He said that...Nightmare was going to shape Kirby into a proper demon, and that the irony would be delicious. Then, he started talking about this...opposite dimension. He said that this dimension was the perfect place to take Kirby." Falala was in hysterics. "I should've done something! I should've looked for Meta Knight, or confronted King Dedede and the purple thing right then and there! I was just so scared, and I...I..." Fumu had left her father's kind embrace to kneel in front of Falala. There was no anger or feelings of disappointment inside her.

"Falala, even if you had looked for Meta Knight, by the time you found him, then you two found the King, it would've been too late. And confronting Dedede and that purple creature, who sounds like he's one of Nightmares demons, wouldn't have ended well at all." She explained. "Really...it's like how we have the information about Nightmare coming back. Just because we know something doesn't mean we can do anything about it yet. But who knows, maybe Meta Knight and Kirby don't know about this purple creature. Meta Knight'll probably know who it is, and Kirby will be able to fight it if it truly is a threat." Falala had ceased her panic, but her eyes had no smile behind them. She nodded limply, leaning against Fololo for support, which he was happy to give.

"We are not alone! Someone approaches!"

Kabus voice boomed, bringing all to attention. Every head peeked through the entrance and around the two knaves, who held swords at the ready. All hearts fell upon the sight that greeted them. A waterlogged Meta Knight came limping up the stairs. His eyes were partly dimmed, and he was shivering. Galaxia was held so tightly his entire arm shook. In his other arm held a very sick Kirby, who was either asleep or unconscious.

**-oOo-**

Marx was pacing, each step seemingly heavy enough to leave a crack in the floor. He wasn't rabid like before, but he was still seething, and any moment he felt like he could explode. His pink arms were behind his back.

"No secret passages? No hidden doors? Check again! I don't believe you." Marx had ordered the possessed King Dedede to scour the depths of his mind for any trap doors or hidden rooms the knight and child could've vanished in, but like the last thousand times, King Dedede gave the same reply.

"There are no secret areas in that section." The King was seated straight and tall on the small plateau where his throne was. His foot had stopped bleeding, and was almost completely healed. Marx growled.

"Well then they exploded!" He shouted to the heavens. "That's it! They just exploded into thin air. That is the only explanation to them suddenly vanishing from a dead-end!" Marx kicked at a stray floor tile, sending it flying into the wall and exploding into tiny pieces.

"Do you believe they are alive?" King Dedede asked, his voice monotone and not showing a hint of concern. Marx snorted.

"Yes, I do. Very much so. Just to spite me!" Marx clawed at his face, not even flinching as his talons cut into his flesh. "How, how, _how?" _Marx sighed. "Alright...maybe it's not so important on _how _they escaped. Maybe...where they escaped too." Marx considered this idea. Slowly but surly, he nodded. "Yeah, that's a better question to ask. Where. Who cares _how?!_" He turned to King Dedede. "Any ideas in that bird brain?"

King Dedede was silent as his mind was scoured, looking for any possible locations. There were many, but he was not going to waste time suggesting silly places like Kawasakis restaurant, or Whispy Woods. Nothing would be gained from going to those places. But then, his mind passed on a foggy thought. He focused on it, trying to make heads or tails.

"It seems that the there is a Kabu located near by." Marx cocked an eyebrow, having heard of those statues, but having no idea what they were for. "It seems that Kabus are comparable to...Star Warrior hospitals." He spoke the last phrase slowly, realization growing on both faces. Marxs mouth split into a dastardly grin.

"Well then...why don't we go check up on our patients, hmm?"

* * *

_I'm shocked! This chapter isn't even 5000 pages! :O I would consider this chapter more of a filler towards the end, as much as I hate to admit it. But things are starting to move along now!_

_Review__, rate, comment, tweet, reblog, hashtag, teach to roll over, sing along with, and ENJOY this chapter my kiddies!_


	7. Happy Reunion

Questions flanked Meta Knight from all around when his presences was made known. What had happened at Castle Dedede? Why was Kirby asleep? Why were they both soaking wet? The knight ignored all questions, sheathed Galaxia, and entered the sanctuary under Kabu. He placed Kirby on the small ledge where the Warp Star would fit. Both he and Kirby shivered, but while Meta Knight had slight spasms, Kirbys shaking was violent. A gruff sigh escaped Meta Knight. The questions had ceased for the moment, and he was thankful for that. But he could still feel every single eye baring into him, begging for answers. He didn't want to answer any questions, but he knew that everyone here deserved an explanation.

"Oh, Kirby! He's freezing!" Fumu shouted, making her way to the sick child. She held him protectively, not caring about getting her clothes damp. Kirbys shaking did not cease. Fumu raised an eyebrow. "Weird...he doesn't feel cold..." Fumu was sure Kirby was shaking from being wet and cold, but he felt perfectly normal.

"He is not shaking from the cold." Meta Knight replied in a whisper. The knight did not make eye contact with the girl, but kept his gaze down. He hoped to leave it at that, but Fumus concerned gaze told him he would have to explain further. "He is...having a seizure."

"He's _what?!_" Half the room shouted in horror.

"When a being is fighting the effects of Dark Matter, there are many side effects. Unconsciousness, seizures, vomiting, hysteria. And more." Before another out cry could occur, Meta Knight faced the crowd. His eyes were a bright green. "A monster named Marx is here. Kirby fought him months ago, and supposedly killed him _twice._" Meta Knight spilled everything. From the decrepit look of Marx, to King Dedede being possessed by Dark Matter, to Kirby being infected by a giant hoard of the blasted things, and to their escape. He left out Marxs desire to kill Kirbys friends, knowing that would just cause unneeded panic. Nobody interrupted the knight save for a gasp or moan of horror. Kirbys seizure had subsided to a violent twitch here or there. Fumu kept a firm grasp on the child, tenderly stroking his cheek to let him know he was not alone.

"So...what're we gonna do about Marx?" Bun asked, crossing his arms. "I mean, he's gonna be coming after Kirby sooner or later, and he's in no condition to fight..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish his train of thought.

"We are not doing anything. _I _am. I brought Kirby here only because Kabu will help him repel the Dark Matter. I do not plan on staying, for my injuries are minor." In fact, his shoulder had started healing already. It still stung, but it wasn't as painful as before. "I am going after Marx once again. If my guess is correct, he is using a possessed Dedede to gain information about Kirby. Which means he must know about Kabu and is probably on his way here." He spoke surely, dedicating his current purpose to stopping that beast. Meta Knight started for the exit. "_Nobody _is to follow me." He could tell by the look on the children faces that they wanted to join him, but he would not have that. With that, he left the cave. The moment he was outside, Meta Knight broke into a sprint, not wanting to waste any time.

Fumu bit her lip to keep from crying out to Meta Knight. She so badly wanted to help, but was brought back to reality when Kirby kicked once again. She looked down to the poor warrior, and sighed. Fumu held the Warp Star in her hands, and could see the wondrous yellow glow had faded. If an inanimate object could look deceased, the Warp Star surely held that look. Fumu cringed. She looked at each face around the room. Nobody seemed very optimistic about the future.

**-oOo-**

Pupupu village was at a stand still ever since the explosion at Castle Dedede rocked their world. Nobody opened up their shop, or made polite conversation with their neighbor. No child played underfoot, but were in fact sticking close to their parents. Every eye scanned the smoldering castle as everyone tried to make heads or tails of the situation. Sure, the castle had caught fire every once in a while from a careless Waddle Dee, or even from the idiotic King himself, but never had it self destructed like this. Well, without the help of a demon beast, anyways. That's what worried everyone. Only a demon beast could cause chaos like this. Rumors were whispered through the crowd. One of the children suddenly stepped forward. She pointed toward the castle.

"Look! I think the drawbridge is being lowered!" This caused the crowds ramblings to increase in volume. Perhaps whoever was exiting the castle would offer some sort of explanation.

At the castle, the possessed King Dedede sat behind the drivers wheel. His facial features were stoic. Marx had just finished disabling the draw bridge, letting it drop on the other side. He now floated above the King. Marxs wounds had started to heal in an ugly fashion. Unlike the healing process of a Star Warrior, where their wounds would leave no scars, Marxs injuries left horrible creases throughout his body. It added to his beastly look.

"I suggest we take an alternate route." King Dedede spoke in his broken voice. "To avoid the village and any possible questions." Marx sneered at the King, giving him the stink eye. King Dedede did not turn toward the monster. He kept his gaze straight and bored.

"The village is the fastest way to the Kabu, right?" King Dedede nodded. Marx chuckled. "Then that's the way we're going. Just don't stop the car, and anyone who has any questions can ask the tires! Now, lead the way!" King Dedede started up the limousine without another thought. The engine roared to life, adding a small plume of smoke to the already polluted sky out the back-end. It rocketed out of the castle at full speed with a rabid Marx only a few feet behind. King Dededes movements were jerky, but very sure. Anyone who got within spitting distance of the tires would find themselves flattened.

The cappys gazes had left the foggy horizon line, and now followed the sight of the limousine and strange creature above him. Whispers traveled through the crowd as they tried to understand what was happening. Someone muttered the world 'demon beast', and the nervous whispers turned to frantic gossip. What else could cause Castle Dedede to crumble in a few minutes then a demon beast?! And now that crazy king was leading the very monster to their peaceful little village! The crowd had turned into a panic with villagers running back to their homes in fear. They grabbed children and pushed them inside. Doors were locked and windows blocked. Only a few brave souls remained outside to see what the conclusion to this dilemma would be. It was only when the limo and monster were a few seconds from the village square that one of the villagers stepped forward. It was the portly town chef, Kawasaki.

"Hey, wait a minute!" He shouted, pointing his frying pan toward the duo. "I know who that is! Kirby told me he defeated that guy a while ago! It's Marx Soul!" As soon as the words left his mouth, the few cappys left outside had to leap out-of-the-way from the rampaging limo. They rubbed their heads or wiped gravel from their shirts. Everyone thought this strange. Usually King Dedede had some smarmy insult to throw at the villagers, but today he hadn't even thrown them a mocking glance! For him not to do this was very noticeable.

The police chief, Boron, was the first to his feet. He quickly straightened his cap and stood tall. "Marx Soul, eh? If Kirby defeated him, then why is he here?" He asked Kawasaki accusingly. All eyes were on the chef. Kawasaki looked each individual in the eye as his mind drew a blank. He shrank back, shrugging awkwardly.

"Well, Kirby said that Marx Soul died once, then came back to life. Maybe he came back to life again?" He offered, hoping this would be enough for the crowd. It wasn't.

"Are you sure that was Marx Soul? Maybe it was just some demon beast that _looked _like him?" A nameless villager asked.

"I'm positive! And if he and the king are in cahoots, then Kirby's in for a rough time!" Kawasaki had turned frantic. He pointed toward the direction of Kirbys home. "Someone's gotta go warn him before those two get there!"

"But no one can run faster than a limo!" Boron shouted, scoffing. "Besides, if Kirby defeated this guy twice, then a third time should be no problem, right?" The small crowd nodded their agreement. Kawasaki was not convinced.

"I don't know...he looked _real _serious this time..." He mumbled. Kawasaki sent nervous glances in the direction the limo and Marx had went. He danced on the spot, trying to decide what to do. On one hand, Kirby _was _a capable fighter. On the other, Marx wasn't working alone this time. "...Oooh! Kirbys my best-actually he's my only customer! I can't just let him get beaten up!" He started in the direction of Kirbys home, still not to positive of his actions. "I'm gonna see if I can warn him! I'll take a short cut through Kabus canyon and be at Kirbys house lickity-split!"

The towns people watched Kawaski round the corner, and disappear from sight. Slowly, the cappys emerged from their homes, asking questions as to what happened. Nobody was too sure, actually. It happened all too fast. All they knew was that Kirby was in trouble, and Kawaski was on a suicide mission. Even with this information, nobody really attempted to _do _anything. The village returned to normal as a short amount of time passed, as if a psycho monster and swerving limo hadn't run through town only moments before.

At the same time, Marx and King Dedede had turned toward the ramp that led into Kabu Canyon. After that, it would be a straight shot toward the ancient golem. Marx flew higher and higher, his eyes scanning every speck in his line of sight.

"Where is it? _Where is it?!_ Dedede! I don't see it!" Marx hissed, floating so close to King Dedede that his hot and stinking breath made the Kings eyes water.

"The Kabu is located deep in the canyon. It's undetectable until you enter the gorge." The King explained. Marx growled, but said nothing.

They made it to the ramp uneventfully, and started to descend into the dark canyon. Marx so badly wanted to fly ahead and leave the slowpoke limo behind, but if he got lost for even a moment, he would bring this canyon to the ground in his fury. As Marx and King Dedede made their way down the ramp, the light around them disappeared, plunging them into almost total darkness. Marx looked towards the sky, trying to locate the sun. The rock walls surrounding them blocked it out. When King Dedede turned on his headlights, Marx nearly ripped his arms off.

"IDIOT! Kirby and Metal Knight will see us from miles away!" He screamed. Surely if they didn't see the lights first, Marxs banshee cries would give them away.

"King Dededes eyes are not made for this low-level of light. I'm having a hard time seeing more than a few feet in front of the car." The possessed king replied with no emotion. Despite this, he flicked the lights off, plunging the area into darkness once more.

"Just drive! I'll let you know if you're about to crash." Marx shouted without thinking, having no intention of letting the king know anything.

The ground leveled out, letting the duo know they were at the bottom of the canyon. King Dedede drove straight, pushing the limo as fast as it could go with Marx in tail. Marx had to admit, even he was having a hard time seeing. It wasn't pitch black per say, but the small amount of light that was able to snake its way into the gorge was being overpowered by the looming shadows. So long as there was no sudden curve and the path kept relatively straight like King Dedede said it would, they would have nothing to worry about.

Which is why the attack on Marx was so surprising. The monster hissed as something hot and sharp sliced into his back over and over. The limo came to a screeching halt, with the driver unsure of how to continue without Marx. The monster flailed manically, screaming in pure fury. Marx could feel someone holding his wings for support, and two sharp pricks on his lower back. When the metal entered his back once more, he roared with all his might, and slammed himself into the rock walls. He ignored his own wounds opening up and spilling hot blood. The figure on his backside grunted as the sludge burnt his skin, but he did not release his hold. Marx tried slamming his attacker directly, but all that did was push the blade deeper into his back. A normal creature would already be dead, but Marx still had some fight left in him.

The attacker knew this as well, and changed tactics. Instead of attacking Marxs back, he went about carving the wings where they connected to Marxs body. A fresh and intense jolt of pain shot through Marx, who now hissed in both agony and fury. He started losing altitude as his wing weakened in strength. Marx attempted to use his trump card, and call forth the Dark Matter from his blood. But that required energy he did not have. With the stranger attacking from the back, none of his attacks would do any good. He screamed in nuclear fury.

He felt the heavy weight from his back be removed, and instantly dropped to the ground, landing on his stomach and panting in exhaustion. Marx had no idea where the attacker was, but he had lost too much blood to properly fight back for the time being. Every now and then, a loud grunt could be heard behind him, and what sounded like a metallic groan. Awkwardly, he shifted his eyes behind him, trying to make out what was going on.

King Dedede once more turned his car lights on, and this time Marx was glad he did. King Dedede had activated one of the limos robotic limbs to reach out and snatch the attacker from Marx. In its gloved grip, the figure flailed about helplessly. Both his arms were trapped, leaving his sword useless. The metallic groan was the attacker trying to pry the fingers open. He succeeded only slightly before the fingers tightened their grip, causing the attacker to gasp as the air was squeezed out of him. Marx collected what dignity he had left, and got to his feet. He swayed, dizzy from so much blood loss. But the Dark Matter kept him alive and conscious. He felt an overwhelming urge to murder this attacker. He would do it to, if he could gather enough energy to even raise his wings.

"That was a real cute trick you pulled there, Mety Knight. Whatchya do? Jump from the cliff? Huh?" Marx hissed through broken teeth. Meta Knight was being held a story above Marxs head. Meta Knights blood-red glare wouldv'e made a weaker man quake, but Marxs only emotion was aggression. Meta Knight did not dignify Marxs question with a reply, but instead used his energy to slowly pry the fingers open. The metal gloves groaned under the pressure, but did not relent. Marx snickered. "You know, when you stop with the honor garbage and start fighting with real emotion, that's when you put up a real fight." Marx said like he was lecturing a student. Like it was the most obvious thing in the universe.

"I would never forsake honor and dignity just to achieve victory!" Meta Knight growled. "I will never stoop to _your _level." Once more, he started forcing the fingers apart, which were now having a difficult time keeping closed.

"Oh _really? _You seem pretty damn emotional right now, and lookie there, you're almost free! An honorable bastard would've admitted defeat and would let me kill them without a fight." Marx flexed his wings, and gasped in pain. He nearly keeled over right then and there, but forced himself to remain standing and conscious. Flying was out of the question until he was healed. "Trust me, I _know _what you can do when you fight with emotion instead of honor. I've seen it before!" He snapped his glare toward King Dedede, offering no more information."Knock him out!"

The metallic glove arched high into the sky, and rocketed toward the earth at blinding speeds. It slammed its prisoner into the rocky ground once, twice, three times; each strike as awful as the last. Even with his mask offering some cushion, nobody could remain conscious after that assault. Not even Meta Knight. He had gone slack, his eyes no longer burning red but a dead gold. When the dust cleared and it was certain Meta Knight was unconscious, Marx snickered with delight.

"Toss him, then let's go!" Meta Knight was thrown unceremoniously behind the duo, and landed with a sickening thud a few dozen feet away. Galaxia had flown out of his hand and had embedded itself the same distance from Meta Knight as he was from Marx and King Dedede. Now that that was out-of-the-way, Marx hopped into the passenger side of the limo, while King Dedede returned to the driver's side. The metallic glove was reeled back, and the headlights dimmed. Everything was silent around them until the engine roared back to life. Dust and rocks were shot back as the limo flew forward. Marx cackled as it grew smaller and smaller on the horizon line.

**-OoO-**

It had been almost an hour since Meta Knight had left, and Kirbys condition back with Kabu had improved somewhat. He was awake, much to the joy of everyone inside. (Even Escargoon breathed a sigh of relief!) But it did not seem like he was conscious of his surroundings. Kirbys eyes were a foggy gray, and unfocused. He couldn't move on his own, so as of now he was laying against Fumus side. Fumu held Kirbys hands, but he could not find the energy to hold hers. His seizure had stopped as well.

What worried everyone the most was that they couldn't tell if Kirby was getting better or worse. Meta Knight had said that seizures were a way of fighting against the Dark Matter. Was it a good thing that Kirby wasn't experiencing it anymore? Fumus grip on Kirbys hand tightened. It killed her inside that there was nothing she could do. There was no book, no medicine, no remedy for her to try. She and her brother had even attempted to pry as much information out of Blade and Sword as possible, seeing as they traveled with Meta Knight and might know as much as he, but it was unsuccessful. They were being trained in swordplay and honor, not dark creatures such as these.

Kirbys eyes drifted closed, then open, then closed once more. His breathing slowed, and he was asleep. Fumu jumped when she felt someone sit next to her, but relaxed when she realized she was just being twitchy. Her mother had taken a seat on her other side. Memu brought a hand to Fumus face, and wiped her cheek. Her fingers came away shiny, and Fumu realized she had been crying. She knew the tears weren't from sadness. She never cried when upset. It was out of rage at not being able to do a thing about their situation.

"Sweetheart, don't worry." Memu comforted. "You and Kirby have never faced a problem that didn't get resolved eventually. He will overcome this obstacle and be back to eating all of the food in our house in no time at all." Fumu grinned, but didn't laugh. Whether she believed her mother or not, Fumu didn't let it be known. Her grin faded almost as fast as it appeared, and she sighed heavily.

Every conscious head swiveled toward the gap in Kabu leading outside. Something was out there, making a rumbling noise. And the noise was getting louder! Bun quickly jumped up the stairs to get a better look. Sword and Blade had taken a fighting stance, their swords poised to strike. Bun squinted, but there was nothing. Then:

"We are not alone, someone approaches!"

Every heart seemed to cease beating after Kabu announced this. Who could it be? Was it Meta Knight? If so, then what was that rumbling? Fumus held Kirby protectively.

"Hey you oversized paper weight!" Escargoon shouted, looking skyward. "How about a little more information? Who the heck is coming?!" Before Kabu could answer, a large vehicle rocketed up and over the stairs, and landed on the plateau where the mighty Kabu rested. There was a long silence, as if the world had frozen around them.

"It is King Dedede and Marx Soul."

Sword and Blade urged Bun to back. He did, and everyone formed a makeshift barrier around Kirby. The knaves stole their resolve, knowing that if they had to lay down their lives to stop this terror, then that is exactly what they would do. But neither King Dedede nor Marx stood to fight. Instead, two large metallic hands exploded from the side of the limo, and rocketed toward the knaves. Blade was able to dodge just in time, but Sword had the misfortune of jumping one second to late, and ended up getting grabbed by the ankle. She hacked and slashed at the fingers, trying to cut one apart. Blade brought his sword down on the metal cable connecting the hand to the limo, and it split in to. With the hand now dead, Sword was able to easily pry it open. And together they obliterated the second hand, attacking in perfect harmony. When both hands were dispatched, they returned their glares to the limo. It was a long stand-off, and not even a humid breeze broke the tension. When a figure could be seen rising from the passenger seat of the limousine. Blade and Sword clenched their teeth. This had to be Marx Soul.

The jester hopped out of the limo, and waltzed toward the duo. He took his sweet time with it. Sword and Blade kept their focus razor-sharp, not knowing what trick this monster could pull out of his hat.

"Well, well. I'm surprised. Mety Knight actually managed to teach you something. I applaud that." Or he would've, if his wing wasn't half dead. Marxs tone was light and jovial. Nothing about him screamed that he wanted to cause mayhem and destruction, but seeing the condition Kirby was in is what kept the knaves at full attention. "Alright, alright. Look, I'll be honest here. I'm in no condition to fight right now. Your buddy Meta Knight carved me like a damn turkey." Sword and Blade tossed each other horrified glances. If Marx was here and Meta Knight wasn't, then Meta Knight had lost. Was he...dead? This ghastly thought added to the knaves resolve to kill this monster.

"Where is Meta Knight?" Sword shouted, taking a sure step toward Marx. Marx didn't react. He pursed his lips in exaggerated thought, purposely taking his precious time. "Stop staling!"

"Where, oh where _is _he. Hmm..." He tapped his foot. "I think I left him unconscious and lying on the ground. Oooh I hope he didn't die. That wouldn't be fun at _all." _Marx cackled, and that was that. Sword and Blade charged forward, each ready to take a wing as their trophy.

Before they could slice at the monster, a giant blue form was suddenly upon them, slamming both fists into the ground where Sword and Blade would've been if they had been any faster. King Dedede acted as a live shield for Marx. He had an aggressive and blood thirsty look that was not natural for the goofy and idiotic king. The knaves were dumbstruck as to what to do. They couldn't just kill King Dedede! He wasn't of his own mind right now! Until a logical idea came to them, they could only defend themselves from the ballistic punches of the maddened King, and try to get in one clean-cut on Marx to end the bastards life. Just like back in the throne room, every time a punch connected with the ground, it left a small crater. Heaven forbid what it could do their armor and bones if the punch connected. Whenever one of the knaves tried to break from the Kings onslaught, they would suddenly find their path blocked by a meaty arm. To get past the King, Sword and Blade knew they would have to defeat him. Hopefully they could just knock him out.

With Sword and Blade distracted, Marx found his chance to approach the colossal stone golem. But he found something was wrong. With every step closer to Kabu, his skin started to prickle. Soon, it just downright burned. Marx was about three meters away when he had to stop completely and took a few steps backward. The pain was too much. It felt like every cell in his body was screaming. Marx raised his maddened eyes towards Kabus.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Marx asked mostly to the king. When he received his response from the massive rock instead, Marx nearly jolted from his skin.

"Being of Dark Matter, you are not welcome here."

Marx hissed venomously. "You will let me enter!" Marx had to admit, talking to a rock felt a bit stupid.

"You are not welcome here."

And being rejected by a rock was just down right unacceptable! Marx drew on every last drop of power he had left in his body, and launched a powerful beam of energy in between Kabus eyes. Nothing happened. Not even a scratch. Marx blanched. Kabus really _were _Star Warrior sanctuaries. And a simple energy beam wasn't going to take down this monstrosity. Marx switched gears. Brute strength wasn't going to take this thing down, so he would have to think of a clever way. Marx eyeballed the creature top to bottom, looking for any chink in the stone or weakness in general. The only visible opening was the one used to enter Kabus sanctuary. Attacking Kabu at all would probably be futile unless he was back at full power. Marx gaze turned back toward King Dedede, then back at the golem. He had an idea. Marx looked back to Kabu. Not a single feature on his face held any emotion.

"Is Kirby inside?"

No response.

"I know what you are. You are a Star Warrior sanctuary. Those two idiots wouldn't be protecting it unless Kirby was inside!"

"Being of Dark Matter, you are not welcome here."

That was all the answer he needed. Marx smirked, turning away from Kabu. True, Marx was now a being of Dark Matter. Without it, he would be dead. Truthfully he his soul was so corrupted with Dark Matter that he could be classified no different as a Dark Matter drone. Of course, his intelligence and killer instinct far surpassed a drone, so anyone who dared called him one would have to answer to the end of an energy beam.

But if Kirby was inside Kabu now and was currently possessed with dozens of the little devils, then a creature who was only possessed by one should have no problem getting in.

Marx flexed his wings, but couldn't do so without gritting his teeth in pain. He could move them at least, and that was enough for him. Without a word of warning, Marx took to the air, and dive bombed the knaves. The attack was so sudden that the knaves could only clench up and protect their heads. Marx and King Dedede know stood back-to-back. King Dededes knuckles were sliced and bloody, and his arms were shaking. The knaves were thrown haphazardly, but no terrible damage had been done. Before the knaves could rise to their feet, Marx barked an order to King Dedede.

"You get pinky. Kill anyone who tries to stop you. I'll stall the knaves." King Dedede grunted his response, then started for the sanctuaries opening. He felt no pain as he neared Kabu, and Marx noticed this. All he had to do was stall this idiot fighters. And by stall, he meant murder.

Sword and Blade rose to their feet to see that their earlier opponent had been replaced with this new one. Marx had no energy for any beams or arrows, but he could still move, so physical attacks would be his ally in this fight. He pulled his lips back in an evil smirk to reveal a jagged row of broken and mismatched teeth. The knaves knew this fight would be to the death. As soon as Blade and Sword had their weapons at the ready, Marx charged. As did the knaves.

While this epic stand-off occurred, King Dedede neared the entrance to the sanctuary. Kabu did not call for him to stop. He reached the entrance, and ducked inside. Six pairs of eyes looked up at him in horror. One pair looked at him in unwarranted joy.

"Your majesty!" Escargon shouted. "You have returned to me! These horrible traitors believed you to be possessed, but I knew you weren't! Shall I send them to the dungeon for you?" King Dedede ignored the loud snail, and looked for his target. He noted with annoyance that the idiots had attempted to form a living shield around Kirby. One girl had latched onto Kirby, and was glaring up at the king defiantly.

"Give me the Star Warrior and none of you will be hurt." King Dedede demanded, looking each individual square in the eye. Fumu tightened her grip on Kirby. Even Escargon, as sniveling as he was, didn't move to hand Kirby over. His bright expression had soured. King Dedede really was under possession, and Escargon couldn't ignore it. The voice that King Dedede was using was not his own. When no body made a motion to hand Kirby over, King Dedede stomped forward. "You will have one more chance. Give me the Star Warrior."

"Your majesty! It is us! Do you not recognize us at all?!" Parm shouted. "Sire, you are not in your right mind!"

"Yeah! Leave us alone Dedede!" Bun barked, taking a brave if not foolish step forward.

"What do you want with Kirby anyways?" Fumu asked forcefully, turning her body, and with it Kirby, away from the king.

"You will not give me Kirby willingly?" He ignored Fumus question completely. Nobody made a move to respond to the kings accusation either. King Dedede jumped down onto the floor of the sanctuary. And stalked forward. Bun was the closest to the King, and was about to receive a devastating punch when another individual suddenly shielded Bun. Instead of Bun being slammed against the wall, his father was. Bun and Fumu screamed for their father as Parm lay motionless. Memu abandoned the blockade to tend to her loved one. Bun had lost his vigor, and now stood like a cowering child in front of the deadly king. He waited for the painful strike to come, but it never did. Instead, King Dedede turned his attention toward the downed parent and his wife. A villainous plot formed in his head, and he approached the couple. Memu screamed as she and her husband were suddenly picked up by their throats. Parm was half conscious and had no idea what was going on, but Memu continued to gurgle out screams as she was slowly asphyxiated. Escargon, Fumu, Bun, Fololo and Falala all looked on in absolute shock.

"I will make a trade." The King started slowly. "I will not kill them, if you give me Kirby willingly. I know I will have Kirby in the end. It's just a matter if you want dear mummy and daddy dead or not."

The children looked on the brink of tears. Escargon had turned an unnatural shade of green. Bun spun to face his sister.

"We gotta give him Kirby!" He spat, disgusted with the very sentence he just uttered. "We don't have a choice!"

"But what about Kirby?" Fololo added.

"We can't let Marx get Kirby!" Falala finished.

"Give him the little beach ball!" Escargon shouted angrily. "His majesty can't have murder on his name! How unbecoming of a king."

"Don't do it Fumu!" Memu cried as loud as she could. "You all worked so hard to save the universe! Don't throw it away!" The grip on her neck was strengthened, and she coughed weakly, having a hard time drawing a breathe. "I...I love you both so...much."

Fumu knew this all rested on her. Giving Kirby to King Dedede and Marx could bring nothing but pain and misery for everyone. But if she didn't, her parents were going to die! An awful, awful thought in the back of her mind told her that the life of two was not worth the life of trillions. But these were her _parents _for the stars sake! Fumu looked down at Kirby, who had not woken during the commotion. He felt cold to the touch, and his breathing was weak. Kirby looked smaller than usual, and painfully frail. She started to visibly shake, but Fumu wrapped her entire body around Kirby tightly.

"...I can't" She breathed weakly. Her body wracking with silent sobs. "I just can't"

**SNAP.**

* * *

_Sorry this chapter took a while! I had a lot of college and job stuff to do first. Even during my spring break! But here it is! Things aren't looking too good for our heroes. Hopefully things will start to turn around in the next chapter. MAYBE NOT!_

_Rate, review, judge, score, cuddle, party with, make a conga line with, dance to, and ENJOY this chapter!_


	8. Lead On

The duel taking place on Kabus plateau seemed no closer to reaching its end than it had been when it begun. Sword and Blade could not worry about Kirby right now. So long as Marx was slain, it would not matter if King Dedede got Kirby. He would have nowhere to go and would have to answer to two adrenaline fueled warriors. The knaves and the monster both fought with such burning emotion that their auras would have looked a rainbow of colors. Sword and Blade had the advantage over Marx with their perfect fighting harmony. It was like they could read each others minds. When one warrior moved one way, the other knew the perfect way to counterbalance the attack. Because of this, they were able to keep the offensive for most of the battle, and even during times where defense was needed, the two fighters formed a shield harder then their iron wills.

But that was the end of the advantages. Marx was faster. Marx was stronger. He was smarter, more ruthless, more driven thanks to his ravenous fury, and had the cursed power to heal minor wounds in a matter of minutes. He had not yet been able to call forth the Dark Matter from his own tainted blood only because he was still drained from his previous attack by Meta Knight. But that did not stop the corrupted beast from attacking. His energy attacks were more powerful, but he was still a capable physical fighter. His hacks and slashes and dive bombs left gashes in Sword and Blades armor. His jaw strength could crush bone if his teeth did not disintegrate from the force first. Marx was a feral animal. He could even be described like he was a dragon attacking trespassers. No mercy and extreme prejudice.

Blade got in a lucky hit, slicing a deep gash just above Marxs right eye. With Marx being blinded by his own blood, it took no time at all for Sword to swoop in and skewer Marx through the side. Or she would have if he had not rolled out-of-the-way a second before. Marx was not fast enough to dodge the whole blade, and felt the tip leave a cut under his wing. Now standing dizzily, he held a shaky claw to his gashed eyelid, and smiled malevolently when he could feel it stitch itself closed. It would look a beastly sight now, but what part of him actually looked approachable anyways?

Sword and Blade had just about had it. They were exhausted. Their armor and weapons felt unnaturally heavy. Their entire bodies quacked with a combination of pain, exhaustion, and rage. This was getting no where fast. Well actually, it was getting somewhere. And if it continued going that way Sword and Blade were going to be dead within minutes.

With Marx momentarily distracted, Blade used the last bit of his energy to drive his sword through Marxs other wing, pinning him to the ground. Marx swore a rainbow of words, and attempted to pull himself free despite ripping his wing apart in the process. When he tried to use his free claw to attack Blade, Sword moved in and mimicked Blades attacked, pinning that wing to the ground in the same fashion. Marx hissed and screamed. Swore and bellowed. Foamed and rioted. But he was trapped. Normally he would have the strength to rip these two swords out, but his wings had already been weakened from before, and with Meta Knights surprise attack his one wing was already half dead. If he didn't want to rip his wings out entirely, Marx needed either a new plan or a miracle.

Sword and Blade grunted as Marx thrashed about, twisting their swords and plunging them as deep into the ground as they could go. Both knaves stared at each other, trying to figure out what to do now. As humiliating as it would be to admit, neither had really thought ahead as to what to do _when _Marx was down for the count. The first knave to pull their sword out would be ripped apart. Even with Marxs weakened wing, he would not pass the chance to violently maim anyone who came within spitting distance of his claw. Marx attempted to teleport away, but that required energy he did not have. He just needed one chance. If one of these idiots could just look away or weaken their grip for _one _second, their heads would be his. But it seemed that Meta Knight had taught his knaves well, as disgusting as it was to admit it. Sword and Blade were focused only on the task at hand.

Then Marx suddenly stopped trashing. The sudden change from a wild beast to nothingness caused the knaves to jump to higher attention. What was this tricky bastard up to? A perky smile grew on Marxs beaten face, causing Sword and Blade to repress shudders.

"Color me surprised! You actually managed to pin me." His praising tone filled the knaves with confusion. They had little to work with regarding Marx. They didn't know his battle strategies (Well, the knew some _now, _anyways.) Or his personality. Whether it was a surrender or a trick was left in the air. They hoped for the best, but were expecting the worst. Marx looked from one knave to the other, a joyful curiosity on his features. "So, now what? I see you haven't attempted to flay me yet. Are we doing the peace treaty part now? I'm _not _a good diplomatic. You see, I have a _teensy weensy _bit of a temper." He explained with giant puppy eyes. Puppy _zombie _eyes. Sword and Blade were beyond baffled. They couldn't even harbor a guess as to Marxs game plan. All they could do was remain concentrated on keeping Marx down.

Marx was good with thinking on his feet. One of his many 'oh-so amazing' traits. Either his energy and strength would return first, or King Dedede would. He hoped it would be the former so he could kill these two buffoons himself, but if it was latter...oh well, a pity. All he had to do was stall for time.

"Teensy weensy temper my ass..." Blade muttered under his breath. Marx turned to him so quickly that something cracked.

"TEENSY WEENSY FUCKING TEMPER." He spat venomously. When Blade and Sword twisted their swords, Marx laughed in between his choked cries of pain. "You guys really need to learn how to take a joke! Come ooon! Laugh with me." No laughter. "A chuckle?" No chuckling. "How about a hootle? I made that word up myself I did." Marx beamed with pride.

"What's your game plan, Marx?" Sword spat. "And no stalling or changing the subject!"

"Always quick to get to the point, you types are. Fine, fine, fine." He rolled his eyes over dramatically. "Alrighty, here are my cards. I'm looking for something _sooper _special called Upmaiess. Ever heard of it?" Sword and Blade had never heard of it.

"What's Upmaiess?" Blade asked.

"APPARENTLY A STICK." He kicked his feet and rolled with maniacal laughter. Sword and Blade gave each other blank looks before twisting there swords. Marx hissed in pain, but a smile still stuck to his face. "The swords are still worth the joke!" He croaked out, trying to stifle his laughter but failing. He looked to Sword, then Blade. Tears in his eyes from laughter. Their expressions (or lack thereof) caused him to burst into a fit of giggles.

Sword and Blade were lost on how to proceed. First off, they couldn't kill Marx with both their swords being used to hold him down. And second, his brain had clearly glitched when he was pinned down, so gaining information from Marx was probably a no go. Oh how badly they wished they had Meta Knights guidance.

"Oh _heeey _I think the grounds shaking!" Marx turned to the female knave. "Are you jumping up and down?" Sword snorted her offense, and stepped on his wing with all her weight.

"Wait, Sword, he's right..." Blade mumbled. Sword shot him a look. "Not about _that._" He rolled his eyes behind his helmet. "I mean about the ground shaking!" Well, more like a slight rumble then a shake. Sword and Blades eyes looked to the ground and each other. Marx tipped his eyes as far back as they could go, trying to get a look at Kabus entrance. His smile was toxic.

"Oh hi Dedede!" Sword and Blade could only gasp in surprise before a blue bullet slammed Blade to the ground. His sword had become loose in the surprise attack. Sword hadn't finished processing the first attack when a claw suddenly pushed her backwards, leaving fresh claw marks in her armor and seriously knocking the wind out of her. With his free claw, Marx wrenched Swords sword from his wing. He launched it down the steps and far, far away. Marx got to his feet and stretched his back and wings nonchalantly, grunting with pleasure as his wings and spine cracked in all the right places. Giving a quick look to King Dededes situation, he could see the fat bird had one foot planted on Blades back. Blade was not moving, and whether he was playing possum, unconscious, or dead was unknown. King Dededes back was to Marx. Sword was crumpled on the ground, dizzy and having a hard time breathing. Her vision fogged up slightly, and she was almost sure a rib was broken. Without her armor, Sword was certain Marx would've punched a hole right through her.

The lavender beast had his wings tucked behind his back. They were seeping black blood in his wake, but the wounds had at least started the healing process. But that didn't matter to him right now. If King Dedede was out here, then that meant getting Kirby was a success.

"Dedede!" Marx barked, a loud contrast to his jokes and giggles moments before. "You have him." Not a question, a warning. Marx would rip the Kings eyes out if he got any answer other than yes.

The King slowly turned around.

He had a tiny pink warrior in his arm.

Marxs cackle was so villainous and evil that even King Dedede twitched at it. "Yes, yes, YES!" Marx screamed. He snatched Kirby by his ankle, and held him up to Kabu like a trophy. "Lookie lookie! I got your little hero! Ha ha HA! Where's your hero _NOW?!_" He challenged.

"You and Kirby will have one more battle. To the death." Kabu boomed. His voice was final. "The winner will control the universe." Marx sneered.

"You mean this Kirby?" He shook Kirby in his claw unceremoniously. "The one who's limp in my claw? Are you stupid?" Marx turned his back on the golem for good, and strolled towards the limo, humming a jolly tune. He deposited Kirby in the small cylinder container at the back of the vehicle. "So, Dedede, how'd you do it? Just waltz in and grab him?" Marx asked, genuinely curious.

"No. I was met with some resistance." He replied with no emotion. "But it was overcome easy." Horribly, the corner of the Kings mouth turned up in a sneer. "They felt so much love for each other. It was so easy to abuse."

Marx 'oooed' like he was being shown a cool new toy. "How'd you abuse all their lovey dovey-ness?"

"There was a family down there."

"Oooh _nice!" _Marx snickered. "Come on, come on! What happened!"

"The father protected the son. The father got injured and his wife rushed to his aid. I took them hostage and told them to hand over Kirby or watch me kill them." He snorted his amusement. "I made their children do the deciding."

"That is pure _evil!" _Marx was manically giddy, his smile so wide his rotted gums were showing. His first idea of revenge was murdering all of Kirbys friends, but psychological damage usually lasted a longer time and could be more devastating. It was a beautiful thing. "So they handed Kirby over in exchange for their mumsy and poppy?"

"No."

"No?" His deranged grin turned sadistic. "So you killed the parents."

"I killed one of them. After that, they were too horrified to do anything as I took Kirby."

Marx had taken to the air in his state of barbaric joy. The air was filled with his horrible laughter. "That's perfect! Absolutely perfect!" He shouted. All his anger from before was gone thanks to these new turn of events. See, everything turned out alright so long as you kept a positive attitude! But his jovial state was replaced with a somber look. "Is there a clear body of water close by?"

"There is a beach not long from here."

"Lead the way!"

The two left with their prisoner without another word, leaving nothing behind by a small plume of smoke. When that vanished, nothing remained at all save for the bodies of two warriors. But they were both painfully still. All was quiet.

…

…

"B-"

…

"...Blade..."

Sword took in a shakey breath, exhaling his name with great pains. He did not respond or move at her call. She focused on the task in front of her. Stand, walk to Blade, make sure he was still alive. It took more concentration then ever before to just put her hands in front of her and push her body into a sitting position. All she had to do was get to her feet. But a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach had her wrenching off her helmet and dry heaving. Sword hadn't eaten that morning, and was thankful she hadn't. It took her a longer time then she would've liked to get her shaking under control. Slowly, she slipped her helmet over her head, and pulled herself to her feet. The dry heaving had caused her insides to shake in ways they shouldn't, and Sword would've liked nothing more than to lay down and sleep. But the sight of her childhood friend, practically her brother, laying motionless only a few feet away kept her driven.

Her armor felt too heavy, her feet were dead, and something inside her was broken. But through the mercy of whatever deity was out there, Sword made it to Blades side. She reached out a hand to shake him awake, but froze only centimeters from his back. If anything was broken, shaking Blade would be a bad idea. Taking his helmet off if he had a broken neck or head trauma would just make things ten times worse as well. Sword resigned herself to Blades hand. She slipped his glove off, then hers, and then felt his wrist. Sword had never really done this before, and was very unsure of how to check his pulse properly. Whether she was checking it wrong or because the unthinkable was in front of her, she felt nothing. Sword chewed her lip, adjusting her fingers over his wrist, desperate for something.

She felt a twitch.

Another.

Then he moaned, and flexed his free hand.

Sword breathed a shakey sigh of relief. He was still alive and he was waking up!She clutched Blades hand in a vice grip.

"Sword..." He mumbled, trying to move his head towards his friend.

"Don't move." She warned.

"Can't...Leg's definitely broken." He was grunting every word in a slurred voice. He wasn't fully awake and probably wouldn't be for a while. "...Since when could Dedede fight?!"

Sword couldn't help but laugh in happiness. Now knowing that her best friend was alive filled her with much-needed morale, but it plummeted with her next thought. Now what? Her head had been swimming and full of noise, but Sword overheard everything Marx and King Dedede had said. They had Kirby. And to make matters worse, Either Parm or Memu were dead. Blade was just about out of commission. Sword knew she couldn't rely on any of the children for help, nor would she ask them _or _expect them to help under the circumstances. The alive parent would be too busy comforting the children no doubt. And Escargon was...Escargon. Sword realized she would be looked to for leadership. Under her helmet, she blanched. Sword was not leader material, she had told herself over and over. She couldn't do any of the miracles Meta Knight could. Blade was a better leader then she was when it came down to it. Sword knew she could make tough decisions if need be, but that was when the situation called for a quick reaction. When there was no time for thinking and something had to be done right then and there.

Well, was this any different? Twenty feet away from her was a dead body, four children who would be in hysterics, a snail who had probably fainted, and a parent under the worse stress of their lives. In front of her, Blade was swimming in and out of consciousness. Decisions had to be made, and they had to be made _now. _But there was one thing that troubled her as she sat in the silence of the canyon.

She was sitting in the _silence _of the canyon.

Sword had been around chaos and death before, and family would always be screaming and begging for their loved ones to come back to them. But now...there was nothing. Kabu wasn't sound proof. Something troubled her deeply, bringing a familiar feeling of despair back to the surface.

"We are not alone. Someone approaches."

Her heart stopped at these words. Swords mind returned to Marx and King Dedede. But what reason did they have to return? They had Kirby, so there was nothing left for them here. Everyone she knew to be a part of this was inside Kabu. All except her lord, that is. She silently begged it to be him. If it was either of the former, she would be dead in seconds. Sword forced herself to believe that it wasn't King Dedede or Marx. Besides, the ground under her wasn't shaking from an approaching limo. It couldn't be them!

"Oh goodness! Okay, we're almost there! Just a few...more...steps!"

That voice was very familiar and very surprising. Sword knew who was arriving, but the name didn't register in her head until the body appeared first. His orange body was shiny, and she was thankful for the cover of her helmet as she scrunched up her nose at the stench. The new face was full of hope and the will to help, but also held an expression of: 'WHEN WILL IT END?' (She could recall many times she and Blade had held that expression during one of Meta Knights lessons.) In one hand, he held a worn frying pan. It's bottom showing the slightly faded logo of the famous Cook Oosaka.

In his other hand Chef Kawasaki was supporting a very weak Meta Knight.

Meta Knight, even with most of his body obscured by his dented and dirty mask, was a horrid sight. Kawasaki had one arm slung around Meta Knights back, and Meta Knight had his arm limply behind the chefs back. His free arm was limp and obviously broken. His usually bright gold eyes were unnaturally dim, and Sword would think Meta Knight dead if she didn't see his feet shuffling under him and hear a ragged and pained breathe every few seconds. Meta Knight was fighting off the blackness that threatened to overtake him. He didn't remember the terrified look of Kawasaki when he found him limp and lifeless. He didn't remember stubbornly refusing to leave until he reclaimed Galaxia. He didn't remember dragging his body to Kabu with the help of Kawasaki. He didn't remember _anything _from the last hour.

"My lord!" Sword shouted in surprise, then hissed in pain as her broken body protested her actions. She did not leave Blades side, who had fallen unconscious once more, hoping Kawasaki could handle Meta Knight well enough. The knight took a few fuzzy seconds before he registered her cry. His only response was to loll his eyes toward her. Kawasaki took in the beastly sight of the knaves and the area surrounding him. His face had gone from determined if not slightly exhausted, to horrified without missing a beat.

"...We sure missed one heck of a shindig, huh?" He mumbled, dumbstruck. "You guys must've really given the ol' one-two to Marx...cause he and Dedede nearly ran us over in...f-fright?" Kawasaki offered a weak chuckle.

"You know about Marx?" Sword questioned.

"Yeah, Kirby told me about him a few months ba-"

"META KNIGHT!"

Every able-bodied head turned towards the source of the shout. In fact, it was two voices. Fololo and Falala had shot out of Kabus sanctuary, and were speeding toward the knight. They stopped themselves a few feet back when they realized how poor a shape he looked.

"Are you two okay?" Kawasaki asked softly. "You guys look like you've been crying real hard..."

"I-it's...a whi-ile back...K-king Dedede...he...h-he..." Falala had burst into tears once more, her sentences being reduced to nothing but hiccups and heart breaking sobs. Fololo gripped his sister tightly.

Swords entire body tightened, but nothing else. She knew what had happened. Kawasaki, however, had the expression of a dear in the headlights.

"Woah, woah! Guys! Everything's gonna be fine! You gotta calm down, alright?" Fololo and Falala held each other with love. Fololos body was shaking violently, and Falala couldn't get her loud sobs under control.

With Meta Knight barely conscious, Sword was back to square one. She had to figure out how to handle this alone. She gulped a few hot breathes before calling for the twins attention. Fololo had to guide Falala to face the knave. "I w-will-" Sword stopped herself. If she was going to take lead, she would have to sound confident and strong. No stammering. One more shakey breathe, then: "I will get everyone out of Kabu. Fololo and Falala, please stay here. Kawaski, I'll explain everything to you later. And..." Could she really tell Meta Knight what to do? This was a weird day for everyone involved. "And Meta Knight, you can't...you need to wait here too. I know you need Kabus energy, but you shouldn't get involved with the problem in your state." Sword didn't feel right leaving until she got a word of approval from Meta Knight. She realized how crazy that would be to wait for his word, so she turned to leave. But before she could, a grunt from Meta Knight grabbed Swords attention. "Sir?"

"...Take me...to...Kabu...I...I need...t-to...see...the d-damage."

"Sir..."

"That...is an order."

Sword clenched her fists. Not out of anger at the knight, but worry for his reaction when he got there. She could argue with him until she was as blue Meta Knight, but that would be wasting time they did not have.

"Yes sir." Was all she said. Kawasaki relinquished his hold to Sword. She hooked her arm behind the Knight, letting him lean on her. She begged Kawasaki to stay here and make sure Blade and the twins were safe. He numbly agreed. With that settled, Sword and Meta Knight inched toward Kabu. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest it shattered her ribs worse than any hack or slash Marx could deliver. "My lord...I have some idea of what you are about to see. Please...just...let _me _help them. You are in no state to help right now." She didn't expect a response as they took another few awkward steps forward. But she got one nonetheless, and it wasn't the one she was expecting.

"I trust your judgment."

It was a bit of a hassle getting Meta Knight through the entrance to Kabus sanctuary, but they managed. When Sword took in the sight in front of her, she could feel her heart crumble. Next to her, Meta Knight tensed up. His eyes, despite being dimmed, flashed white.

Fumu and Bun were huddled together, tucked tightly as far left as they could get. Both of them were shaking violently. Buns face was beat red, and his shoulders bobbed in beat with his hiccups. He constantly was rubbing his eyes or his nose, trying to keep calm. Sword noticed that Fumus face was not red and puffy, meaning she hadn't cried. That only made Sword more worried. The girls eyes were bug-eyed, and held a thousand yard stare. She wasn't looking at anything or anybody in particular. She was in shock. When that broke, Sword knew that would be when she broke down. A few feet away on the same wall, Escargon was looking wide-eyed at Sword and Meta Knight. His trembling was as bad as Buns. He raised a finger toward the opposite wall, not taking his eyes off of the knight or knave. Sword heard Meta Knight gasp before she saw the bodies.

Both Memu and Parm were crumpled on the ground. King Dedede said that only one was dead, so the other could only be unconscious. She gulped, turning back to Escargon, who had not moved his gaze from Sword and Meta Knight.

"...Which one..." Was all she could ask. Escargon didn't reply. In fact, he looked on the verge of a panic attack. "Escargon, I _need _to know which one!" She asked more sternly, practically begging.

"It...It isn't...i-isn't..." Escargon took a few deep breaths. He put his hand to his chest, trying to keep his heart from pumping out of his body "It...isn't...one."

Sword had to fight to keep herself upright for Meta Knights sake. "No..."

"They're both...d-...d-...dead."

That couldn't be right! King Dedede said he only killed one of them! He lied to Marx?!

"I over heard Dedede." She replied, failing to keep her voice calm. "He said...he only killed one of them." At the name of his majesty, Escargon started hyperventilating.

"The King...he...almost hit...Bun. But...Parm...shielded him. His Majesty...he hit...Parm against the wall." Escargon took gulps of air, trying to keep his voice as level as possible. "He threatened to...to kill them if we didn't...give him Kirby. Fumu refused. And...a-and...h-he broke...Memus neck." His face turned green. "His majesty then...then just...w-we were so shocked...we couldn't stop him from just...waltzing up and...and just snatching Kirby!" Escargon was wringing his hands, looking an absolute mess. "W-we tr-tried to help Parm, thinking he was...only unconscious. But...but the Kings punch...from the time it took...t-to drop them both, grab Kirby, and leave...Parm...h-he passed on."

Everything stopped for Sword. Time didn't move, nobody breathed, the birds didn't fly, grass never grew, and nothing existed. This was too much for her to handle. She had sworn to lead these people to some sort of safety, but too much was being piled on top of her all at once. Sword was painfully lost and scared. She wished she had Blade by her side for comfort. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to lead?!

"Escargon, Fumu, Bun." All eyes darted towards Meta Knight, who had been the source of the voice. Before he continued to speak, he left Swords support, keeping himself upright with the help of the wall. His eyes were still dim, and his voice was weak, but both had a fire behind them. His ability to talk without painfully gasping for breath was commendable. It could only be thanks to Kabus quick Star warrior healing capabilities that this was possible."Go to Pupupu Village, and make sure Fololo and Falala go as well. Blade is outside, take him to Yabui's. Escargon, ask Mayor Len if the children may stay at his house for the time being. Tell the mayor that it's a special request from me and I will pay him if necessary. Kawasaki is outside as well. Get him to bring some men of the town back here. Make sure they bring...stretchers." He had fumbled on the last word. He had meant to say something else. "Cappies will ask questions, tell them anything they want to know, but do _not _make assumptions if you do not know the answer. The last thing we need are rumors and gossip."

Everyone just stared at the knight, processing their new directions and instructions. Slowly but surely, they all rose to their feet. For the first few seconds, everything was going well, but suddenly Bun starting sobbing profusely, collapsing to the floor. He couldn't speak a sentence straight through without gasping for breathe between each word. Fumu held her brother close to her heart, softly stroking his hair.

"I...want...Mom...and...Dad...baa-haaa-haaack! Make...them...come...back!" He begged to no one. Behind her helmet, a few tears had slipped past Swords eyes. The sight of a little boy crying for his parents tore every feeling in her body to shreds. Escargon looked away from the group, holding a hand to his eye. His shoulders were bobbing. Meta Knight couldn't bare to look at this miserable sight, and had closed his eyes.

Nobody spoke as Bun begged for his mom and dad, and nobody rushed him out. Fumu whispered words that no one could hear to him. They stood around for a good ten minutes before Bun managed to pull himself together well enough to stand. Silently, Fumu held Buns hand and lead him out of Kabu. Escargon waited for them to leave before starting for the exit as well. He was halted by Meta Knight.

"Before you leave Escargon, may I ask a favor?" Escargon titled his eyebrows, which was all the reply Meta Knight needed. "You have been working with Yabui, yes?" Escargon nodded. "Do you know how to set bones?" Escargon nodded once more, slower than last time. "If you could set my arm, I would appreciate it."

Escargon cringed. He didn't like setting bones one bit. It felt disgusting feeling the bones move under his hand. Most of the time Yabui set the bone while Escargon offered a hand to throttle for the patients pain. But once in a while Escargon had had to do it for one reason or another, and it always made him squirm.

"Yeah, okay..." He mumbled numbly. He reached out and felt around Meta Knights arm, looking for the fracture. Despite the situation, the weirdness of realizing this was the first time being in physical contact with Meta Knight dawned on him. And in about thirty seconds it would be the first time he caused Meta Knight extreme physical pain. When Meta Knight grunted, Escargon knew he had found the break. It was smack dab in the middle of his humerus. A slight smile twitched onto his face. "You picked a bad time to try a new fashion style. If you had been wearing your shoulder thingies, this wouldn't be broken." The glare of doom Meta Knight gave Escargon made him change the topic. "Uh, er, um, h-how'd you break it anyways?"

"I go thrown around like a beach ball." The snail had to chomp on his lip to keep his giggle to himself. "Set it when ever you're ready."

Escargons smile faded. "Don't you want something to bite down on or throttle? This _is _going to hurt." Meta Knight was stoic, almost bored.

"I have had bones set before. Just do it quick. Kabu will do the rest."

Escargon grit his teeth, preparing himself to do it just like he had done before. "Okay, okay. On three. One..." He jutted the bone back into place. Meta Knight ground his teeth, grunting in pure agony.

"_I thought you said three."_ He hissed, his teeth bared behind his mask as he fought off a wave of nausea.

"I thought you said you had bones set before." Escargon replied. His trademark cocky smile played on his lips. "Alright, so Kabu gets to be the nurse now. And sorry to say, I don't have a lollipop for the patient." Meta Knight sucked in a sharp breathe. The black around his vision was starting to recede. He chose to ignore Escargons smart mouth.

"Thank you Escargon." Was what the knight chose to reply with. "Now, please go to Pupupu village and do as I asked. And...bring body bags as well." The comment brought the snail back to reality. Escargons grin was wiped clean, replaced with a dreadful frown. He exited the sanctuary uncharacteristically silent. Now Meta Knights attention was on Sword. She had said little more than a word since Meta Knight spoke up. "Sword, go with Blade." Sword straightened to attention.

"Sir, you are in no condition to be alone in case of another attack. Let me protect you." Her frame twitched as her broken ribs jerked. Meta Knight did not miss this.

"You have a broken bone. Go see Yabui about it." He held up his hand when Sword tried to fight back. "Sword, that's-"

"-An order?" Sword cut him off. Meta Knights eyes flashed a low pink.

"You learn quick. Now go."

And go she did. Meta Knight couldn't help but notice that her pace was stiff and quick. He shrugged this off, and inched his way down the stairs into Kabus sanctuary. He couldn't bare the sight of the still bodies, and chose to sit away from them, leaning against the Warp Stars pedestal. The Warp Star was nowhere to be seen, and could only predict that Fumu had it with her. He refused to let his thoughts wander to the before events, instead taking the time to mediate on what he would do now.

"Meta Knight." Kabu boomed. "The others know things you do not. All is not lost. Speak with them."

All was still. Meta Knight did not press for more information, trusting the stone golem. He leaned heavily against the platform, shutting his eyes for only what felt like a moment. He didn't open them again until a hand prodded him awake. What had felt like seconds to him was actually about half an hour, and about five men stood circled around him, including Escargon and Kawasaki. Without a word, they all got to work moving the bodies. Meta Knight shut his eyes once more, meaning only to relax for a moment more. He felt himself drift off, but did not fight it.

* * *

_Let the dying begin! Or maybe these will be the only deaths? WHO KNOWS. I'll be honest, I went through 101 ideas with Memu and Parm. Between letting them live, killing only one, or killing both. And I'll be honest, I was close to letting them both live. But then I read ANOTHER fanfic, and in that story they killed off one of the nicest and most innocent characters, and I was like 'Well if they can do that then I can suck it up and kill Memu and Parm!" The first way I planned on them dying was a cave in of Kabu, but I remember that Kabu is REALLY fuggin sturdy, so that idea was scrapped. _

_This chapter had some important parts to it, but I was hoping to get MUCH farther in my story at the end. Oh well, next chapter we'll be getting to PLOT ADVANCEMT OH BOI._

_Like, tweet, review, rate, lick, nibble, paint, eat a chime-chonga with, teach belly dancing to, and ENJOY this chapter_


	9. Reflection

Pupupu village was cast under a metaphorical large gloomy storm cloud. Everybody knew of Memu and Parm one way or another, and for them to be suddenly taken from this world was heart wrenching. The story of how they had died was something hard to comes to terms with. Everybody wanted to blame King Dedede outright, since it was his hand that slayed them. It was only by Meta Knights honorable word that they moved their hatred to the true monster. Marx and the Dark Matter.

The wake and funeral had been held twenty-four and forty-eight hours later respectively inside Mayor Lens home. It would've been held in Castle Dedede, but half the castle was crumbling, and unsafe to be in. Currently, the Waddle Dees were pouring all of their energy into rebuilding it. It turned out that all the Waddle Dees had managed to escape. They all looked to Waddle Doo and Escargon for leadership until their king returned. And as such, they had been instructed to fix the castle.

During the wake, many tears were shed. The entire town had come to pay their final respects for the fallen couple. Not only that, but everyone had some kind words of comfort for their poor children. Fumu and Bun did not leave each others side at all during the wake. Bun had been an absolute wreck. He did not stop crying the entire time, and could barely speak more then a few sentences before another wave of sadness hit. Fumu, on the other hand, was just blank. It worried everyone that the young girl seemed to be feeling _nothing._ They all knew it wasn't because she didn't love her parents or miss them dearly, but they knew that it was not normal for a child to be so emotionless. When she spoke, she spoke curtly. She ate the minimum required to live. She moved only to get from point A to point B.

The funereal had a sense of finality to it. Not only for the lives of Memu and Parm, but the finality of peace in Pupupu Village. Everyone knew that these two deaths were only going to be the first of many in the universe. The funereal was a quick and melancholy event. The masses were gathered in Mayor Lens living room with the closed caskets at the front of the room. Half the town had some uplifting or silly story to tell about Memu and Parm. Although any slight chuckle or grin brought on during these stories displayed sadness and grief. The family of Memu and Parm were given their own time to speak about their lost loved ones. Fololo and Falala managed to choke out the story of the their surrogate parents taking them in when Nightmare had rejected them, and that they would always be grateful. By the end of the tale, both children had broken into heart wrenching sobs and hiccups. As they returned to their seats, the twins were given soft-spoken words of praise and literal pats on the back.

Bun was up next. Unlike Fololo and Falala who had told their story at the front of the room, Bun found his legs too weak to support his body. He was encouraged to speak anyways, and so he spoke from his seat next to Fumu. Buns story started off shakey, for he was very unsure of what to say. His speech was only half as long as the twins had been, but he pulled through with a touching sentiment that was very shocking to hear coming from the hard-headed boy. Bun finished, and got as much praise and love as the twins had received.

Finally, it was Fumus turn. Everyone waited for her to stand and speak, but nobody forced her to go. She was going through an internal struggle, and nobody wanted to be the one to jar her from it rudely. Only about half a minute passed before Fumu shook her head. The action was almost unnoticeable. The Mayor, who had been the cappy to pull the whole funeral together, put a hand on her shoulder. Fumu didn't look at him.

"That is quiet alright if you don't want to speak. Nobody is going to force you."

With that, it was time to bring this dismal event to an end. The pallbearers worked together to bring the caskets out to their final resting place; the cemetery located on the other side of Whispys Woods. At night, this place was a horrible and terrifying sight. The trees seemed to twist to life under the poor lighting of the moon. Every grave suddenly rotted if not given full attention. The ground beneath your feet could swallow you up at any moment, adding you to its collection of living and dead trophies. But in the day, the cemetery could almost be described as tranquil. A suiting place to lay the dead with honor. And it was here that Memu and Parm would rest for eternity. Their graves would be at the edge of the graveyard, underneath a tree that had been planted maybe a few years ago and was just a few feet high.

The caskets were lowered into the ground with utmost care, the pallbearers taking their time to not even chip the sides. When the deed was done, every cappy lightly tossed a handful of fresh earth onto each grave, muttering a goodbye or touching sentiment under their breathe in hopes Memu and Parm would hear. A few of the men stayed behind to completely bury the caskets while the rest of the group headed back to the village. The masses gathered outside Mayor Lens home, comforting each other with words of love.

One body slipped away from the crowd without even disturbing the gravel beneath his feet. Nobody noticed Meta Knight leave, or if someone had, nobody called out to him. With the funereal over, the knight had other matters to attend to. He would not be missed anyways, he knew, for he was not the comforting type. Meta Knight had shown up to the funereal as an act of respect to the deceased and their children. Of course the loss of Memu and Parm burdened his old heart, but this was not his burden to bear, and he had learned that forcing his mind to look towards other problems aside from the ones that could not be solved helped him move on with his life.

And there was one big problem he had to solve. Kirby had been taken. He was with Marx and, more than likely, Marxs 'lord'. There were so many questions in his mind, and he could not solve any of them. How had Marx found Kirby? How had he gained the power over Dark Matter? How had he and King Dedede vanished so quickly after the fight? No answers, just questions, questions, _questions. _

"_The others know things you do not. All is not lost. Speak with them."_

Kabus words echoed in his mind. How much did the others know? Meta Knight would not dare try to speak with the children about this for a few more days, if not weeks. Escargon had been in hysterics about the loss of his king, and as such had taken his frustration out on the poor Waddle Dees. Which meant he was in no state to be questioned. Kawasaki had been with the knight the whole time and probably knew as much, if not less, then he did.

Which left Sword and Blade.

His wandering thoughts cut the time it took to get to Yabuis hospital in half. The doctor was at the funereal as well, but the door to his place of work was unlocked. Meta Knight let himself in, gently close the door behind him with not so much as an audible click of the knob.

Sword and Blade had been forced to miss the funereal. Sword had broken only two ribs, but would be bed ridden for a few days to reduce movement and strain. Blade had broken multiple bones in his foot, and would be out of commission much longer then Sword. Combined with physical therapy and pain killers being their only source of peace, and you have the formula for two pissed off knaves.

Meta Knight entered their shared room after a curt knock. "Are you both well?" He asked.

Both knaves jumped to attention, and both knaves flinched with pain as they stretched body parts that were meant to stay still. Meta Knight could not help but smile under his mask. They reminded him of warriors during the great war, who would attempt to jump up and start attacking anything branded with NMEs mark even if they had just had their arm exploded off. It was honorable and commendable, if not one-hundred percent foolish. This was the first time Meta Knight had been with his subordinates since the fateful encounter with Marx. He found it surprising that neither were wearing their armor. But he mentally slapped himself. Of course they wouldn't be wearing their armor while in a hospital bed. Still, Sword and Blade had a fondness for their armor much like Meta Knight did his mask. Sure he had seen Sword and Blade without their armor on before, but usually under their armor they wore a thin and flexible body suit. Not paper gowns.

Blade was the first to speak up. His left foot was propped up and in a large cast. His entire gray body was shiny from sweat. The room was painfully humid, and the warm breeze drifting through the window didn't help the problem. "I could use some more pain killers, and this dress they have me in is awful, but I'll survive, sir." He pushed a few strands of blond hair out of his face, but they fell back into place only a second later. Blade ignored them.

"I'm fine as well." Sword scratched at her stomach, but twitched in pain. She tried scratching her stomach once more, but the result was the same. "Except these bandages are causing a damn itch I just can't seem to scratch." This she muttered under her breathe, but the tinge of pink in Meta Knights eyes made it clear he had heard her. Swords slightly annoyed scowl at her bandages softened as she turned to her mentor. Her eyes were hidden behind her brown hair. "Is the funereal over?" Her voice had dropped in volume.

"It ended a few moments ago." Meta Knight replied. The only reply he received was a slow and sad nod.

"I feel awful that I couldn't have been there." Blade mumbled.

"Me too..." Sword added.

"The fact that both of you wish to have been there shows honor and respect to the deceased. An admirable trait." The knight praised. Blade and Sword seemed to sit up straighter at this compliment.

The knight had stood by the door this short conversation, but now he took a seat in an open chair next to Swords bed. He wasted no more time getting to the point. "I believe you both know what we must do now." Not a question, a statement. The knaves nodded, their hearts heavy with anticipation. "With Kirby in the hands of our enemies, we must do everything in our power to get him back." The knight paused. Sword nor Blade filled in the quiet with speech, so Meta Knight continued. "When I was alone inside Kabus sanctuary, he told me that others knew things that I did not." He looked from one knave to the next. "Is this true? Is there something I do not know?"

"Well that depends, sir." Sword started. "What do you know right now?"

The knight pondered this question. "...I know Marx can control Dark Matter to a degree. I know the Dark Matter is responsible for his second resurrection. Marx is not working alone, and is taking orders from his 'lord.' He is responsible for the fires and destruction at Castle Dedede. He and his lord want Kirby alive, and they have 'plans' for him. King Dedede has been taken control of by the Dark Matter. And I know Marx knows a startling amount of information about Kirbys life. Including information about us, his friends, his hobbies, living arrangements, and more." Meta Knight sucked in a quiet breathe, and was startled to hear a light scratching sound coming from Blades direction. When he looked at him, Blade had grabbed Yabui's clipboard and pen, and was jotting something down. The knave looked up to see Sword and Meta Knight both giving him questioning stares. "...I'm writing it down? You guys, there's a _lot _of information we need to sift through."

"Yes...I suppose there is." Meta Knight replied. "And I'm sure there is more. Is there anything you two can add to our list?" The knaves scratched their heads in thought, trying to conjure up any useful bit of information.

"As Marx and Dedede were leaving, Marx asked Dedede to head towards a large body of clear water. I think he mentioned the beach. That seems odd to me." Sword added. She could hear the scritch-scratch of Blade taking notes.

"During the fight, Marx tried getting into Kabu." Blade mused. Meta Knight cringed at the thought. King Dedede had shown some restraint, and that had ended in two deaths. If Marx had gotten inside, there would've been a mass burial today. "But as Marx got closer, he started looking very pained. In fact, Kabu said that Marx was a being of Dark Matter." He scratched his chin. "But Kirby and even King Dedede were able to get in just fine when they had Dark Matter inside them. So what makes Marxs Dark Matter so special?" When Blade received no objections, he jotted his thoughts down on the paper. Sword shot her head up with wide eyes, which resulted in his grunting in slight pain.

"Stupid bloody broken ribs..." She grumbled. "...Blade, didn't Falala see something back at the castle?" Blades pointed a finger in triumph. Meta Knights curiosity was peaked.

"She did!" Blade cheered. He turned his attention towards Meta Knight. "Falala had been awake last night, and witnessed King Dedede and Marx heading towards the opposite end of the castle in a secretive fashion."

"Which means King Dedede was probably already possessed at that time." Sword chimed in.

"More than likely. Anyways, she managed to pick up some of Marxs conversation with Dedede. She told us that _Nightmare _wants to shape Kirby into a proper demon."

"Nightmare..." Meta Knight hissed this name, slapping himself mentally for not suspecting that fiend from the start. "I would bet it's safe to say that Marx is serving Nightmare."

"It would explain where he got the Dark Matter and new abilities..." Sword added under her breathe. Blade had already written this down before the sentence came out of her mouth.

"Another thing. Marx started talking about an 'opposite dimension.' He said it'd be the perfect place to take Kirby." Blade turned towards his mentor. "Can you make sense of that, sir?"

Meta Knight had his gaze towards the ground. His eyes were a deep green in concentrated thought. Something wasn't right. In fact, something was _very _wrong. Blades question registered as nothing more than a faint echo in his mind. "I...do not think so." Meta Knight replied. In truth, he had a tiny idea, but he did not want to worry his knaves if he did not have to just yet. "I want to add something else. Something small. It may not mean anything, but it has left an impression on me." Blade and Sword were all ears. "When Marx and I were battling, Marx commented that when I fought with emotion and not honor, I was a true force to reckon with. He claimed to have _seen me fight _before. I have never seen Marx before until yesterday."

"Well then, he's been spying on us? It could also be the reason why he knows so much about Kirby." Before anyone could reply, Blade had jotted this tidbit of information down. Meta Knight did not stop him, even though he felt that that piece of information might be wrong. But his other idea was farfetched, and probably just as wrong. "Anything else?" Neither Sword or Meta Knight could think of anything else. Blade nodded, then cleared his throat. "Alright then, so here's what we have:

Marx was brought back to life because of Dark Matter.

Marx has new abilities

Marx can control Dark Matter to a degree

Marx is working for a 'lord'. (Possibly Nightmare)

Marx and his lord have plans for Kirby (Turning him into a 'proper demon beast')

Marx knows a lot of information about Kirby and his life. (Knows how Meta Knight fights. Possibly been spying on us?)

Marx and King Dededes last known location would be near a clear body of water. (The beach?)

Marx has a special(?) kind of Dark Matter in his body unlike regular Dark Matter.

Marx took Kirby to some 'opposite dimension'

Nightmare has returned. (Cause of all this?)

...And that's the important information." Blade tapped the pen against the top of the clipboard rapidly. His face was creased with thought. "Well...can we fit any of this into useable information?"

Sword and Blade discussed any and all possible ideas, but Meta Knight kept quiet. His eyes were a burning green. He was so deep in thought that all outside noises just blurred in his mind. The more he scratched at the surface, the more clues revealed themselves to him and him alone. Something tugged at his mind, vying for attention. But Meta Knight could not put his finger on what it was. The feeling felt almost like déjà vu. But of what?!

With no possible idea as to what that foggy idea could be, Meta Knight pushed it to the side. If it was not going to help their current situation, then it did not need to be dwelled on. His mind returned to the conversation at hand, and to the information present. Meta Knight rose to his feet, going to grab for his cape but realizing it was no longer there. That and his pauldrons were still at the bottom of the moat, and recovering them wasn't a top priority. The air on his back and shoulders felt foreign and unwelcome. He forced his mind to return to more important matters. He could worry about this nonsense at a later date.

"I am going to search the beach. To see if Marx of King Dedede left anything behind." Meta Knight had already left the room before he uttered the last word of his statement. Outside, folks were still gathered together, but the crowd had thinned out a small amount. Meta Knight could not make out any of the children, and he made a mental note to check up on them all later. He knew he wasn't the comforting type, but he felt a moral duty to do it anyways. With that decided, Meta Knight wasted no time heading for the beach. He chose to start at the part of the beach closest to Kabus Canyon. If Marx and King Dedede were one thing, it was impatient. They would not think to choose another location hoping to throw off pursuers.

The trip to the beach was uneventful, as everyone was busy one way or another. And the first thing he registered were the tire tracks. He had found and started to follow them as soon as he got to the beach. For about a hundred yards they traveled along the coast line. Meta Knight could not get an idea about what Marx had been up too. His eyes scanned the tire tracks path to the horizon line, and at the end something large and white was waiting for the knight. It was King Dededes limousine. _"It broke down and they hoofed it?" _Was the thought that ran through Meta Knights mind. He surveyed the area around the car, but could not make out any foot prints. Marx could fly, which would explain why there were none for him, but King Dedede should've left some heavy impressions in the wet sand. And yet, there was nothing. At the front of the limo was what looked like a small rock pool. The limo hadn't crashed into it, but had stopped on its own. Whatever Marx had been looking for, he had found it here.

The rock pool was unimpressive. About 10 feet in diameter and a foot deep. The bottom was covered in algae, and tiny crayfish snipped and snapped at each other. The rock pool looked nature made from the way the rocks were very unorganized, making the circle jagged and uneven. Even when the tide pulled out, the pool remained full. Meta Knight tilted his head toward the water to get a better look. The pool was crystal clear, and aside from the insignificant ripples the crayfish made, the water was still and could be compared to a mirror. Was this what Marx had been looking for? A rock pool? For what?

"Hey, Meta Knight!"

The knight reflexively put his hand to his hilt and spun on his heel to face the new arrival, but he relaxed. It was Kawasaki. Meta Knight chastised himself. He must stop doing that!

"What is it?" He questioned. Kawaski did not look worried or short of breathe, so Meta Knight concluded that the matter was not dire. The knight noticed that the chef looked tired. His face did not hold the childlike joy it usually did. The funereal had really brought the entire towns collective mood to a low.

"Mayor Len sent me to find ya." The chef explained. "I talked to Sword and Blade and they said you were here, so I just followed the tire tracks-" He pointed back at them. "-To find ya. I figured ya be at the end of them cause they look real out-of-place to me." Kawaski fixed his hat, shrugging. "Anyways, Mayor Len wants to take custody of Fumu and Bun and Fololo and Falala, but since you and Escargon still live at the castle with them and Dededes not here, he didn't know if that meant they're under Escargons or your custody now. He figured ya know the answer faster than if he searched through a bunch of filing cabinets and all that."

"An orphaned child belongs to the head-of-state, which would be Dedede. But because he is not here, then they are under Mayor Lens custody. If he wishes to become their foster...parent, he...will...-" Meta Knight had zoned out completely, his eyes and mind returning to that rock pool. _What was so important about the blasted thing?! _Maybe the pool wasn't important at all, and it was only a coincidence the limo had stopped two feet from it. But that still wouldn't explain why there were no foot prints. If Swords, Blades, and his musings were correct, Marx did have an ally, and maybe that ally had provided a space ship. But if the ship had flown down to pick them up, there was no landing gear tracks in sight, and the small bit of vegetation was sand free, meaning that no sand had been kicked into it by a strong downdraft. It had to do something with the pool. But what? _But what?! _

Meta Knight nearly whipped out his sword and hacked Kawaskis arm off when the chef had nudged the knight back into consciousness. Both were startled at the others display, but Meta Knight was the first to regain himself, but not the first to speak.

"Holy hot potato Meta Knight, ya sure can be twitchy when ya want to be!" He scratched the back of his head, a small yet awkward smile on his lips. "I've been saying your name for the past minute but you zoned out on me." The smile vanished as his own eyes trailed to the rock pool. "What's so important about this that you keep staring at it?" Without waiting for a response, Kawasaki leaned over the rock pool, nearly falling off-balance and face first into the water. The smile came back full force. "Wow! It's so clear!" His eyes sparkled. "Hey! there's some sea weed in here! I can use that to make some Nigiri Surprise! The surprise is that there is no surprise and it's just plain sushi, but don't tell no one that!" The chef had completely forgotten the reason he had come here, instead directing his attention to the bounty of algae at the bottom of the pool. Although the kind at the bottom of this pool wasn't the right kind for sushi, but Meta Knight did not speak up, figuring the chef would figure out this fact on his own.

Kawaski pulled his hand out of the pool with a start, yelping and clutching his hand. The chef stuck it in his mouth, which Meta Knight found disgusting after he had just had it swirling around in algae. He removed his hand from his mouth to examine it, and even Meta Knight was shocked. He had cut it right open, the gash at least an inch long. It wasn't bleeding profusely at least.

"Perhaps you should head back to Pupupu village, Kawasaki. I will speak with Mayor Len when I am finished here." The chef wiped his hand on his apron, leaving just a tinge of red behind.

"Wait a second! That didn't feel like no rock that cut me." Kawasaki leaned over the rock pool once more without another word. He slowly dipped his good hand back into the water. Kawasaki had his tongue sticking out in concentration as his hand searched the bottom of the pool, taking great care not to get his hand sliced again. His eyes popped open suddenly, and in the some motion he retracted his hand, clutching something in a hexagonal shape. It was pitch black in color and very shiny. The object was the size of the chefs palm, and about as think as a coin. Kawasaki flipped it over in his hands. "This isn't a rock...or if it is it sure is a weird one. Feels more like glass..."

Meta Knight could've had a heart attack right then and there. His eyes had turned a bright grass-green. Sure, the color of the object was wrong, but there was no mistaking what Kawasaki was holding.

It was one of Marxs glass scales.

"Kawasaki, may I see that?" Meta Knight asked, holding out his hand. He really wanted to just snatch it from Kawasaki in his excitement at this find, but restrained himself from that rude act.

Kawasaki fingered the scale for a few more seconds, a look of curiosity rising on his face. "Uh, yeah, sure. If ya really want to." The scale was passed from Kawasaki to Meta Knight, who clutched it in his gloved hand.

"_**The time is almost upon us, Nightmare!"**_

At the same time, something marvelous yet horrible occurred. Every reflective surface around; from the rock pool, to the ocean, even Kawasakis sweat flashed a bright red. Meta Knight gasped, dropping – almost throwing – the scale to the ground, which shattered to dust. He had heard...someone! The voice was an echo in his mind, bouncing through his skull so violently that it felt like something was trying to rip its way out of his head. And that color! The same shade his own eyes turned when he felt burning fury. But it had been everywhere, that sudden flash of red. He took a few steps away from the glass dust, which had already started losing their luster and fading away into the sand. All was quiet on the outside, but Meta Knight could still hear the voice in his head. The feeling of déjà vu he had early came back full force. He _knew _that voice! And at the same time...he didn't.

"Ah! You dropped it!" Kawasaki shouted. Not meaning to, Meta Knight shot the clueless chef a sour look, which caused said chef to flinch, bringing him back around to more important matters. "Gosh, Meta Knight, are you alright?"

"I...Yes, I'll be fine." Meta Knight replied coolly, getting his breathing back under control. His eyes returned to their natural golden color, and they were now downcast towards the location of the broken scale. The voice he had heard wasn't Marxs. It wasn't Kirbys. It wasn't Dededes. The voice had been dark and mocking. Absolutely sinister. And that red color was painfully familiar in more ways then one. Meta Knight could feel steam coming out of his ears as he thought this over, but only one teeny tiny idea popped into his mind. Clues were starting to come together in horrible ways. Meta Knight was sure whatever answer was revealed would be an unpleasant one. "I must return to Pupupu Village now. Good day Kawasaki."

"H-hey! Wait a sec!" The chef was surprised at how fast Meta Knight moved. Faster than usual. Kawasaki had to move at a brisk jog to keep up with him. "What's going on? Why'd the glass thingy make you freak out so bad?" He asked a bit blunt, but his words were full of concern.

Meta Knight did not reply right away. He bit his lip, trying to think up a response. "The reason could be of dire news. Or it could be no reason at all." Kawasaki nearly tripped over his own feet at the riddle. Everyone knew that when Meta Knight spoke in his little riddles, it meant that he did not wish to elaborate on what he knew. Kawasaki kept quiet, and the rest of the journey back to Pupupu village was silent.

When the duo returned to the village, the sun was high in the sky. They parted ways with few words, Kawasaki heading towards his restaurant, and Meta Knight towards Castle Dedede. He wanted to be alone to think for a while, and figured Sword and Blade could wait a bit longer for any news. The village had thinned out with only a few still out and about, trying to make the best of this awful day. The trip to Castle Dedede was uneventful, and soon he was roaming the familiar halls. Waddle Dees ran underfoot, carrying wheelbarrows full of cement and stone. The section Meta Knight was in had only received light trauma, and would just need a quick patch job. As he moved farther down the hall, the damage receded, as well did the number of Waddle Dees. Soon, he was alone, and the section of the castle he was in looked perfectly intact. Not a stone out-of-place.

His destination in mind had been his own room, but he found that his footsteps were leading him elsewhere. And for good reason. The Waddle Dees had been so busy fixing the castle they had not bothered cleaning it. And thank the stars they hadn't. A small dollop of black goo stained the floor. And another one was a few feet away a bit larger. And yet another only a few inches after that even larger than before. It was a trail, and Meta Knight knew darn well what this black goo was. His previous idea of alone time was dashed at this discovery. Something in the back of his mind told Meta Knight that this trail could be fresh, but the knight doubted that. But still, what if? What if the next corner had Marx lying in wake? Again, that couldn't be true. Marx had no reason to return.

Meta Knight realized that he had stopped following the trail of Marxs blood, and was instinctively heading for King Dededes chambers. The black goo was going in that direction anyways, and Meta Knight had a very sure feeling that that's where this trail was going to end. His hunch was right. Making sure the door did not squeak, Meta Knight inched the door open, peeking inside. He was shocked to say the least. The room looked like a bull fight had occurred. Part of the wall had cracks and dents in it, and in the center was a large crater. The ground was stained with blood in both a black and red color. Had Dedede put up some sort of fight against Marx? It would explain the bruises and black eye the King had before.

Meta Knight eyed the trail outside the room once more, and with his eyes, followed it inside the room and to its end. Right in front of the mirror. Where a large puddle of black blood had stained the carpeted flooring. A dingy red glove print could barely be made out on the otherwise perfect glass.

Ideas started forming in Meta Knights mind.

The reflective pool, with its perfectly crystal clear water. So clear it could be used as a mirror.

The flash of red

That familiar yet unfamiliar voice.

The blood trail leading _away _from the mirror, not _toward _it.

Marxs sudden appearance and vanishing act.

An opposite dimension.

It all made sense to him.

Meta Knight could only form one conclusive thought. They – meaning him, Kirby, and the entire universe – were going to be in for the fight of their lives.

* * *

_Wohoo! Ten reviews! ALRIIIIIGHT DOUBLE DIGITS._

_I'll admit, I'm not too crazy about this chapter. Yeah, there's a lot of important info, but I think I could've worded it better. But...well...when your setting is a depressed village where no one wants to talk to one another, it's a little difficult...eh_

_This chapter was also a bit tough for me to write. I've been to a funeral for a close loved one before and this chapter brought up some memories. :,D I won't ramble, but I'll end it by saying that I had to write that section in tiny bursts because I couldn't get myself to write it all at once._

_Please review, rate, comment, get jiggy with, break the 4th wall with, hold a festival for, learn to love, and ENJOY this chapter._


	10. Dimensions

_Unfortunately, I was not given much more information from Meta Knight himself after his epiphany, but what he did tell me was that he was certain he knew where to start looking for Dedede, Marx, and I. But Meta Knight knew he had a major problem. He had no way of getting to his location. As you know, you cannot just take a regular ship and fly there. It requires inter-dimensional travel. In fact, Magolor, you're about to enter the pict_ure very soon. Anyways, after Meta Knight had his epiphany, he was fairly certain what to do from there. But of course, there were a few problems he had to deal with. Not to mention the funereal still fresh in everyone's hearts and the idea of Nightmares return etched in their minds. Things weren't looking well for anyone, I'm afraid. So what he did first was-"

**BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP**

The sudden alarm jarred the three travelers from stories past, all of them looking around as if the ship was the false memory and those stories were present times. Kirby himself seemed to had jumped the highest. The warrior regained his composure before either of his friends could see his freaked expression. Magolor was the first to rise. The other two had a nervous look to both of them. Kirby even had his hand to the hilt of his lance, but Magolor dismissed these fears with a wave of his hand.

"We're in the correct galaxy and dimension now. The alarm is just letting me know it's time to manually pilot." Magolor explained coolly. Although for such a high-tech ship such as the Lor Starcutter, piloting was less steering the ship and more like babysitting it for any chinks or damages that could spring up. He approached the master computer of the Lor Starcutter, pulling up energy readings and scanning the exterior shell of the ship. His hands flew over the keyboard with precision. It was obvious to tell that Magolor had done this before. Suddenly, his hands stopped moving, actually hovering inches above the keys. The captain groaned, putting a hand to his forehead and massaging it. "Can't believe it's already been a few hours...By the Ancients, that story-" He gave an incredulous chuckle. "-it's messed up."

Kirby couldn't help but snort at the obvious. "I'm sorry to say but the story doesn't get much better." He chose to ignore the owl eyed expression Ribbon was giving him, instead focusing his attention to the many data pools on Magolors computer. "Magolor, how long will it be until we reach the Master Crown?"

"About...about about..." Magolor brought up a simple map on the screen, pinpointing their location and their final destination; the coordinates Kirby had given Magolor back on Pop Star. "A few more hours, so long as we don't run into any...difficulties."

Magolor and Kirby continued to discuss the present journey to each other with rapt interest. Ribbon, on the other hand, found her attention drifting elsewhere. A small porthole on the stern of the ship allowed for a small glance to what lie in the cosmos. Ribbon fluttered over to it, greatly interested in what this new dimension looked like. She had heard stories of different types of dimensions and what they could look like. (Kirby once told her that he had visited a dimension made up of _yarn. _She found that hard to believe.) She stopped inches from the glass, and let her eyes soak up every inch of this dimensions sky.

It was...dark. Sure, there were a few stars, but they were pitiful little things that didn't have a chance against the suffocating black curtain of this galaxy. There were no planets closing in or drifting away. It felt like the Lor Starcutter was sailing in a sea of nothingness. It sent harsh shivers up her spine at how empty this place was. Ribbon hopped the rest of the dimension wasn't like this void. Speaking of which...

"What dimension are we in, anyways?" Ribbon asked, tilting her confused face toward Kirby and Magolor, who had in turn turned toward her. As a quick response, Magolor brought up many, many data fields about the dimension they were currently drifting in. The way Ribbons eyes glazed over told Magolor that he would need to explain things another way.

"It's called Another Dimension." Magolor explained. Kirby nodded, as if to confirm this. "It used to be rather...er, normal, in a way." He awkwardly shrugged. "But because of our friend here-" He jammed his thumb in the direction of Kirby. "-It was obliterated." Kirby nudged Magolor in the gut.

"I seem to recall a power-hungry wizard dissolving here, and causing this already unstable dimension to collapse on itself, _if I'm not mistaken. _I'm surprised it's been able to reform itself after all the destruction _you _created."Kirby tried to keep the humor out of his retort, but a ghost of a chuckle could be heard in his voice. Magolor scoffed, turning back to the computer screen and closing all the unneeded windows. While Magolor was feigning hurt and Kirby was failing to keep his amusement hidden, Ribbon kept her expression straight. Something in the pit of her stomach was keeping her from enjoying in her friends mirth, and the other two quickly caught on. Their dopey expressions fell.

"Well...okay, that's the history of Another Dimension. But..." She gave a pointed look towards Magolor. "You said we could run into 'difficulties'? I feel as if you are hiding something, are you not?" Magolor and Kirby gave each other quick glances. It's not that they didn't want to tell Ribbon, but they didn't know if there was any need to.

"Well..." At this small word, Ribbons curious stare become a stern glare. She dared Magolor to hide any information from her. "They're called Doomers." He brought up a picture of a single Doomer. It was a bright red ball with a feathered tail and wings. This Doomer was spitting fire, and looked close to seething with rage. "They're the nasty and hostile spawn of this dimension. They hate any and all trespassers, and attack if they spot anything they don't like. The worse one we could face are called Sphere Doomers. But luckily those type don't attack unless provoked." Both men looked to Ribbon, hoping that would be a sufficient explanation. Her rock hard glare didn't soften an inch. "Doomers are the only thing that can survive in this horrible void. Nothing else." Magolor shrugged, having no more to say. Finally, Ribbons glare vanished.

The trio stood in a welcome silence for a small amount of time. The only noises present were the soft beeps of the master computer, and an awkward shuffle from one of the companions now and again. At the corner of the monitor was a countdown, indicating the time it would take to get to their destination. The numbers dwindled per millisecond.

Magolor cleared his throat, bringing attention to himself. "I suppose I should've asked this earlier, but..._where _exactly are these coordinates taking us?" Ribbon stuttered her own response.

"_Where? _There's nothing out there, Magolor! It's a big empty void!"

"Don't believe that for a moment, Ribbon." Kirby replied not a second after, all merriment gone from his tone. "In this dimension, land can suddenly appear in front of you if you do not pay attention." His attention was now on Magolor. Kirbys smoldering red eyes had dimmed in the small span of time it took to turn his head. He sucked in a sharp breath. "My friend, you will hate me when you discover where the crown lies."

Magolor attempted to blink away his confusion. No response formed in his mind, so he willed Kirby to continue with his eyes.

"And old friend has it in their possession."

Again, Magolor willed Kirby to continue.

"One you have not seen for years."

Silence.

"..._She _has the crown."

The realization didn't hit Magolor all at once, but it slowly worked its way onto his features in a matter of seconds. When it dawned on him completely who he would be facing, Magolor, uncharacteristically of him, swore venomously.

"Really?! _Really?! _An-And you didn't think it would be best to tell me this _before?_" Magolor snapped, for once losing his usual jolly disposition. Ribbon had stepped back in her shock. Even though it seemed Magolor could've throttled Kirby, the Star Warrior did not make any motion to move away.

"Would you have agreed to help if I had told you who you would be forced to face?"

"Yes!...No...maybe..." Magolor rubbed his eyes and groaned. "Why do you think she would give us the Master Crown if she knew _I _was part of the crew?" He moaned.

"I believe she will give us the crown _because _you are part of the crew." Kirby brought a hand to rest upon Magolors back. The captain twitched under the touch, but didn't move away. "Friend, we have all hidden from problems past. I may not be able to fix the damage I have caused, but I know you can fix yours. Will you trust me?" He removed his comforting touch, and extended his hand toward Magolor in a gesture of trust. Magolor looked at the gloved hand like it was laced with arsenic. In the end, he grasped it. Kirby could feel Magolors hand shaking.

"You're going to get us all killed, Kirby." The mentioned warrior merely chuckled.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." He stole his hand from Magolors grip. "Perhaps now, while we have a few more hours, I should continue my story?" In all honesty, he did not want to, but Kirby knew that if he did not get through the tale as fast as possible, he would never get it out. Ribbon could almost feel the hesitation radiating from her lover.

"Are you sure?" She questioned, floating closer to him and resting a feathers touch on his arm. Kirby nodded, so slow that it was almost unnoticeable.

"I am sure. The story needs to be told, and I do not wish to put it off longer then need be."

"Well, now would be a good time to tell the story anyways, seeing as the best part is about to come up." Magolor chimed in. Ribbon tilted her head toward him.

"And what, pray tell, is that part?" Ribbon could almost guess the answer.

"Yours truly is about to make his grand appearance into this tale of woe!" Magolor teased, obviously back to his old self. Kirby couldn't hold back a snort.

"Yes, I suppose you are." The warrior took a seat on the cold floor, leaning against the wall. Ribbon sat next to him, giving him desired personal space. Magolor remained at his computer, mashing buttons and making sure the Lor Starcutter stayed on course. As soon as Kirby was comfortable, it seemed his eyes glassed over, his mind returning to past days. "Meta Knight, as said before, was lost on how to proceed. Or even on how to come to terms with the information he now knew. He told me that at first, he had j_ust wandered around the castle in a sort of blind stupor, unsure of how to process this dire information. But as you all know, Meta Knight is not one to flail about miserably like that for long, and it was only a matter of time before he got a hold of himself, and spoke to his knaves..._

**~oOo~**

"Sir, I have to admit that your claim to the Mirror World is...rather farfetched."

Blade crossed his arms in front of him loosely, casting a nervous glance away from his lord. Only he and Meta Knight were awake currently. Sword had been feeling sharp pain in her ribs and had been given a sedative to help sleep it off. The knight had been at Castle Dedede longer then he had thought, and by time he had left, the sun had begun to set. When he reached the hospital, it was night-time and visiting hours would be over. Meta Knight had snuck in through the window thanks to Blade. Poor Blade had thought Meta Knight a robber for a few moments, and without his sword, armor, or _mobility, _would've been almost defenseless. (Blade would be more than willing to throttle the poor robber, though, if the fool was dumb enough to get close.)

The duo spoke in a loud whisper, as not to disturb the drugged up Sword or to alert Yabui to Meta Knights presence. For the last half hour, it was mostly Meta Knight who spoke of what he had learned and what he believed to know. Blade did not interrupt Meta Knight, letting his lord tell the story to the end. It was only when Meta Knight ceased that Blade had replied with his rather blunt comment. Meta Knight couldn't help but give a dry chuckle.

"I believe that all the clues point to this. Why do you believe it to be farfetched?" The knight questioned, not bothering to look at his knave.

Blade did not respond, and the duo sat in silence for a good five minutes before a word was spoken. "Because we have had no clues before pointing to the Mirror World before, and now a few coincidences show up and you're willing to gamble on this? No disrespect intended, sir." Blade hastily added on, giving Meta Knight a swift and awkward bow. Meta Knight paid no attention to either the comment or the act of respect. Instead, he nodded.

"Yes, I am. Because there are too many clues to ignore the possibility." Before Blade could speak, Meta Knight held up a hand, silencing the knave. "And if I am correct yet we choose to ignore it, then we are putting everybody in peril. If nothing else, we should at least go and check it out." Blade knew that there would be no changing Meta Knights mind on this. He hated to admit, but he saw the logic in these words. It could be suicidal logic, but it was logic nonetheless.

"Yes sir, I understand." Blade replied. "Is there anything I can do to assist?" Heck, if he was being forced to do this, he might as well help out.

"For now, focus on healing and strengthening your foot." The way Meta Knight trailed off at the end of his sentence had Blade questioning the knights true intentions, but he ignored the nagging feeling. The knight rose to his feet, heading for the window. "When Sword awakens, tell her what I have told you. I will need to make some preparations for the inevitable journey." The questioned died on Blades lips as Meta Knight stole it right out from under him. "I'll take my leave now. Good night." Blade saluted his lord, closing the window as soon as Meta Knight had leapt through it. He locked the bolt, flicked off the light, and flopped backward, falling asleep even before his head hit the pillow.

The journey back to Castle Dedede was somber and uneventful. The funereal from the morning had ended hours ago, and with the last few guests leaving Pupupu village no longer had a melancholy cloud looming over it. The air still felt thick though, and would be until everyone learned how to move on with their lives. With the moon in the sky, the little village had gone to bed. Meta Knight wasn't tired in the slightest, in fact he felt more awake and alert then he had been all day. The possibility that he knew where Marx had stolen Kirby and Dedede filled him with a hope that he was all but sure had died along with Memu and Parm.

There was also the unspoken possibility that Nightmare would be right next to Marx.

Sleep did not come to the knight at all. He did not even need to fight it off, it just would not come. Instead, Meta Knight spent the night and a portion of the dawn mulling over his future course of action. There was so much to plan, and so much to do. And it all had to be done as quickly as possible. The longer it took to find Kirby, the more everyone would have to rely on luck to keep them safe. And Meta Knight was not a fan on trusting his life on luck alone. When the morning sun filled Meta Knights room, he realized that he had been working on his plan for hours on end. But there was no time for breaks, so he got right back to work. A small table was covered in piles of papers, all filled with Meta Knights thoughts and ideas. Usually he would just work out the details in his head, but there was just too much to be able to process in his mind without giving him a massive headache. None of this was in vain though, for Meta Knight had figured out some of the lesser but still important parts of how to proceed. But one giant problem still lingered.

How to get there.

There was only one entrance to the Mirror World. The mirror portal had no name, but it had been dubbed the Amazing Mirror by bards and story tellers alike. A massive mirror that, when gazed into, would materialize any wish that the host begged for. But over the decades, the mirror became corrupted, reflecting only the evil thoughts and wishes presented to its surface. Even the inhabitants of the Mirror World became corrupt. When Kirby had restored the Amazing Mirror to its rightful power, the Mirror World still remained destroyed, and it would only take the effort of the Mirror World denizens to bring it back to its rightful glory.

But because of the renovation of that dimension, it had caused the Amazing Mirror to blink out of existence. Caused from the influx of positive and negative energy from the Mirror World. No doubt that the mirror still existed, but it wasn't above Dream Land anymore. There were still ways to get to other universes without magical mirrored portals, so why should the Mirror World be any different? All Meta Knight had to do was think of another way. Simple, right?

Yeah right.

If he continued to listen to himself flick his pencil against the table for another minute, Meta Knight was sure he was going to lose his mind. The most difficult part of his planning was going to end up being, of all things, getting there. It was time for a break, he decided. And besides, Meta Knight remembered that he had to speak with Mayor Len about adopting the kids. Couldn't put that off for too long. Meta Knight pushed back his chair, and exited his room without making a sound. All around him, the Waddle Dees were hustling and bustling about. Whether they ever took breaks was unknown. But at least none of them looked exhausted. A great deal of progress had been made in the hours Meta Knight had locked himself in his room, although it would take much longer for the castle to be back to its former glory.

The knight made his way out of the castle on instinct, letting his mind free to wander. He wasn't surprised that his thoughts turned to Kirby. What horrible plans did Marx and company have for the child? And if Marx wasn't the brain of this operation, who was? Could it be Nightmare? Could it be some unknown enemy? Until he could get to the Mirror World, then nothing would be solved. He had to push the issue from his mind for the next hour.

Arriving to the Mayors humble home, Meta Knight rang the doorbell and took a step back, waiting for an answer. When no answer came for a full minute, Meta Knight rung again, curious as to what the hold up was. Sure, he was in no rush, but the Mayor was usually very punctual and did not keep people waiting for too long. Did something happen? Did Marx strike here?! _Was anyone even alive?!_

"Coming! Coming!"

Meta Knight could've slapped himself. He was too worked up. Too on edge. Pupupu Village was usually so calm, and Meta Knight expected that. For a wrench to be thrown into the tranquility brought the knight on high alert. Meta Knight took a deep, calming breath. He promised himself to meditate on these issues and worries later.

The door swung open to reveal the Mayor still in his night clothes. He looked groggy and not all there. "Meta Knight? Oh, I should've expected it to be you! No one else is ever awake this early." That's when it hit Meta Knight. Sun rise was only half an hour ago. Of course the Mayor would take a bit of time to answer the door. He was probably sleeping!

That did it. Meta Knight was going to meditate on these issues.

Without losing an iota of his trademark dignity, Meta Knight sucked in a breath to speak. But before he could get a word out, the Mayor continued. "Really now, you and those children have the most awful sleeping patterns. Staying up half the night than waking up at dawn. Although, I'm not too sure how permanent that sleeping behavior is for the others..." The Mayor rubbed at his droopy eyes, fighting the urge to fall asleep standing up. But his side comment had affected Meta Knight, and made his heart twist.

"The children are awake? At this hour?" He knew very well why they would be awake. All parts of their normal life would be skewed for the time being. It was to be expected, but it did not make the situation any less heart wrenching.

Mayor Len nodded towards nothing and no one. "Yes, yes." He mumbled. "Well, perhaps I should say only two. Fumu and Bun are. Fololo and Falala are still asleep I believe. But those poor siblings have been tossing and turning all night." Meta Knight winced behind his mask. The nightmares. He had almost forgotten about them with all the hubbub from the last day and a half. Something needed to be done about them. "I passed Fumu and Bun in the front room on my way down." The Mayor stepped aside. "Would you like to see them? Perhaps afterwords we can discuss the adoption terms, hmm?"

Meta Knight stepped inside the home, allowing the Mayor to shut the door behind him. "That would be fine, but we can discuss the terms later today. When the sun has risen and you have gotten more sleep. I apologize for waking you."

The Mayor dismissed his worry with a shrug. "It's better I'm awake anyways. I have things to do and all that. The front room is right around the corner. I will be in the kitchen. Would you like anything? Coffee, tea...?"

"No thank you." Meta Knight replied while starting down the hallway. The conversation ended there, and Mayor Len entered the kitchen.

As Meta Knight stepped into the living room, the faint hum of the TV could be heard, playing re-runs of the cartoons Bun liked so much. On the small couch adjacent to the TV sat the siblings. The pair had their backs to the knight, and if they noticed him come in, they did not show it. Fumus hair was out of it's normal ponytail. It looked unkempt. As did Buns, but his hair was usually messy. Neither sibling made a sound as the robots and monsters on the TV battled each other. Usually Bun would be cheering for his favorite character to smash the enemy in. And Fumu would be turning her nose up at such silly cartoons. But both siblings were silent and unmoving. It took Meta Knight a few extra moments to break the silence. It felt too heavy and grim.

"Fumu, Bun." Meta Knight finally spoke up. He could see the top of Buns head turn toward his sister, but Fumu did not move an inch. Buns face peeked over the side of the couch. His movements were sluggish. The parts of his face that weren't hidden from his messy hair were stained with dry tears.

"Hiya Meta Knight." Bun replied, his voice cracking and hoarse. Very unlike the energetic little boy Meta Knight knew. "Whatchya doing here?" In truth, Meta Knight had no idea why he was checking on Fumu and Bun, His initial thought was to ask the children if they were alright. But obviously they weren't, and wouldn't be for a while. So...why was he here?

These thoughts ran through the knights head all at once, but he didn't skip a beat in his reply. "I am here to discuss some legal matters with Mayor Len."

Bun crossed his arms on the back of the sofa, and plopped his chin on them. "About the adoption stuff, right?" Meta Knights lack of response gave Bun all the answer he needed. "Kinda weird that he suddenly decided to take us in like that if you ask me."

Now it was time for Meta Knight to speak. "How is it weird? You children are in need of a legal guardian, and he is willing to fill the role."

Buns frown turned sour. "Well, yeah, sure, that's cool and all. But what about the other times when we were all in trouble! Me and Fumu and Kirby!" Bun choked on the last name. He cleared his throat as he fought a wave of tears and nausea.

Behind his mask, Meta Knight wore a pondering expression. "You are asking why Mayor Len feels the need to assist you children now and not before?" Bun nodded, his expression still bitter. "I believe it is because the villages lifestyle has been turned upside down. When Nightmare attacked this town years ago, no lives were lost that day, and I believe it made many of the towns folk feel untouchable. So now, for that idea to be shaken to its core, everybody is waking up. The Mayor is scared, and wants to do what he can to make up for his ignorance. That is what I think, you may take it any way you want."

Buns angry expression faded as Meta Knights words sunk in. Whether he chose to believe them or not would take time. Bun sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I dunno...it still sucks, but..." He shrugged again. Silence passed between the group, starting off as awkward but hitting uncomfortable levels in only a few seconds. Meta Knight was about to take his leave when Bun opened his mouth, but promptly latched it shut. He sucked in a breath, then spoke. "Meta Knight, what're we gonna do about Kirby? I mean...we can't just let Marx get awake with this, right?"

"Do not concern yourself with this as of now. You already have your own battle to fight. I will fight this one." Usually, Bun would throw a small fit at being left out of the action. Meta Knight waited for the angry words to fly, but was surprised at the reaction he got instead.

"Do you have any idea where Marx could've taken Kirby?"

Pressing the issue? That was something Fumu would've done. Meta Knight weighed the pros and cons of discussing this with Bun. But...he did have a right to know. He was there when Kirby was kidnapped.

"I believe Marx has traveled to the Mirror World."

"The Mirror World? You mean that place that has an almost completely opposite world to this one?" Meta Knight confirmed this. "How're you gonna get there? Isn't that giant floating mirror above Dreamland gone now? Do you know where it is?"

Meta Knight sighed. "I'm afraid to say I do not know where it is at this time. I am still working on a way to get there. The Mirror World has been around as long as our world has been. I am sure there are more entrances that we just do not know of." If there were, then he did not know of them was what Meta Knight added on in his mind.

"Don't the GSA have space warping stuff? Big ships that can travel for thousands of light years? Why not just borrow one of those?"

"Traveling light years and traveling dimensions are two very different things, Bun. In actuality, The Mirror World is less than a millimeter away from us. It's just that we cannot see it, touch it, or sense it. Traveling light years means traveling great distances across the galaxy. Dimensions are not in this world, which is why we need a certain type of portal to get there. They are the bridge between the two worlds."

"So why not just get a ship that can travel dimensions instead of light years?"

"...Excuse me?"

"Get a ship that can travel dimensions."

Meta Knight was frozen on the spot as his mind quickly processed this idea. He had been so focused on secret portals and traditional dimensional traveling that he had completely forgotten such a simple answer. It was a rookie mistake that he had to chalk up to over stress. Why make things over complicated? A _ship _that could _travel dimensions. _

And he knew just where to find that ship.

Meta Knight had to force himself to keep his voice level and calm. "I need to return to my preparations, Bun. I will visit you all later today." Before Bun could get a word in, Meta Knight was gone. Bun rolled his eyes, plopping back down next to his sister. He sighed. Weirdo knight...

**-oOo-**

The basement at Castle Dedede was a dark and dingy place. Old crates rotting from the inside out were lined up against the walls, and old bed sheets were haphazardly spread on top of a good portion of them in a pathetic attempt to keep the boxes dust free. Usually one only needed to enter this place if an old book or wine bottle was needed. But one thing stood out from the dirty floor and gross boxes. A pristine yellow ship in the shape of a five-pointed stair. A small glass dome stuck out from the center, offering an air tight seal to the cockpit it protected. Anyone in Pupupu Village could tell you what this was. Kirbys Starship. The very same ship that brought the little pinkie to Dreamland some years ago. Over the course of a few months, it had been repaired and improved on. The ship was fully operational, and if Kirby ever felt a desire to leave Pupupu Village, he could. But Kirby had no where else to go. And besides, his family and friends were here! What reason did he have to leave anyways?

A thin layer of dust had settled across the ship which was suddenly thrust into the air when the glass dome slid back to offer access to the cockpit and all its gadgets and gizmos. Meta Knight jumped into the cockpit, and through memory of his own ship, powered everything up. He could've used his dull grey Starship to do this task, but it was in worse shape then Kirbys was currently, and Meta Knight didn't want to waste any time with quick repairs. With the Starship powered up, Meta Knight now turned his attention to his goal. Long distance communication using the Starships probably weakened communicator. The system was simple; punch in another ships code, wait for them to answer it, communicate. This ship was smaller, so it did not offer a visual screen. It was just voice. With great care to remember the code on the first try, Meta Knight punched in the long code, making sure each number in the sequence was correct. Why did ship codes have to be so long, he wondered.

Finally hitting the last number, Meta Knight sat back and waited to see if his transmission would even make it. For all he knew, the ship in question might not even _be _in this dimension. It _was _a dimension jumping ship, after all. If not, then Meta Knight vowed to try every hour until he got an answer.

The stars must've been aligned, for slowly but surely a signal was picked up. There was much distortion and static, and an untrained ear would disregard the white noise, but Meta Knight knew better. After a quick recalibration of the ships controls, he was able to boost the signal as high as it could go.

"...ign...is...ome in...ello...come in...your signa...Hello? Okay, your signal is stronger now. Who is this?" The voice on the other end questioned. His voice was slightly demanding, but also very confused. There was still some static, but Meta Knight was sure this was as good as it was going to get.

"It is Meta Knight. Magolor, can you hear me?" The knight questioned. There was silence on the other end for only a second.

"Meta Knight?! How's my favorite silent protagonist doing these days?" Magolor asked, a chuckle in his voice. Meta Knight couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I am well. But I will get to the point. Magolor, I must ask of you an important favor." A long silence followed.

"...Well this conversation took a turn south. What do you need?" All humor was gone from Magolors voice.

"Kirby is in great danger. I need to borrow your ship to get to him." Meta Knight was sure Magolor had just turned three shades paler at the news. Especially with the horrified tone of voice the captain used next.

"Wait, wait, wait! Kirby's in danger? I've only been gone for...I don't know...a month?! What's going on over there?" And so Meta Knight told him. He didn't leave out a single detail, knowing Magolor would pester him if there was a single plot hole. The story took about half an hour to tell, and when it was done, Magolor let out a heavy sigh. "...Wow...that's...that's a story." Another sigh. "Yeah, of course you can borrow my ship. You said you're going to the Mirror World? Where's that?" Meta Knight almost questioned Magolor on how he could _not _know what the Mirror World was before realizing that Magolor was not part of this dimension. Of course he wouldn't know.

"Simply, it's a parallel universe. Similar in almost every aspect to this universe." A uncomfortable silence suddenly filled the room, and Meta Knight was about to repeat himself when Magolor spoke up.

"A parallel universe? I thought you said it was a separate dimension..."

"The Mirror World is almost the exact opposite of this universe, and can only be accessed through a hidden portal that is currently lost to us. Are parallel universes and separate dimensions not the same?"

"Well...no, they aren't. You see, dimensions are right next to other dimensions. Separated by less then a millimeter of space between each dimension. Parallel universes, on the other hand...well, they...how do I explain this...They aren't their own dimensions, or universes. You can't have a parallel dimension without an original. These parallel universes are so much closer to their mother universe that the line between one and another is almost blurred! I know of a few ships that can travel dimensions, but traveling parallel universes is almost impossible as of now." A shuffling noise could be heard on Magolors end. "Besides. Each dimension has a certain starcode coordinate. It's how one can travel between dimensions. Parallel universes starcodes are the same as their mother universe. So if you try to get to a parallel universe by traditional means, you'll end up in the mother universe. Sorry, but I can't help you with parallel universe jumping."

Meta Knight could've slammed his mask against the glass until either his mind or the panel cracked, but for the sake of honor he kept his disappointment to himself. "I appreciate the offer to assist Magolor. I am sorry to have bothered you."

"It's no problem at all. If I can help out in any way, just call me up. I'll be sure to stick in this dimension for a while longer just in case. And good luck with all of this."

"Thank you, friend. I hope that this dilemma draws to a close soon. Good b-"

"WAIT!"

Meta Knight flinched at the sudden outburst, his finger inches from the end transmission button. Nobody spoke for several moments, and if not for the small green light indicating the call was still taking place, Meta Knight would've assumed the call over.

"...I think I know someone who _can _help." Magolor started. "Since her techniques for dimension jumping are based on the mind and magic and not so much technology, I'm sure she will be able to get you into the Mirror World."

"Where could I find this woman?" Meta Knight asked not a second later.

"She is in a separate dimension. If the offer to help is still open, I can take you to her easy."

"That would be much appreciated, Magolor. Thank you."

"Happy to help. So, when do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible."

"I can be there in about five hours. I'll see you soon." A barely audible click could be heard from Magolors end, ceasing the call. Meta Knight ended the call on his side as well, and sighed with relief. Finally something was going right!

Having closed the Starship back up, Meta Knight was now free to take some time to prepare for his journey. He needed to speak with his knaves, speak to Fumu and Bun, probably mention something to the town about what was going to happen, so on and so forth.

But first thing's first. Meta Knight knew that if he didn't don a new cape and a pair of pauldrons soon, he was going to go mad. So his first destination would be his bedroom closet. _Then _he would go speak with everybody.

And with that, he was off.

* * *

_These chapters are getting pretty Meta Knight centered! :O Well he _is _the most interesting character as of now. But don't worry, SOON THINGS WILL CHANGE MAYBE. WHO KNOWS._

_Sorry this chapter took so long! Got really busy with college stuff and what not. I had to write this chapter in little 300 some word bursts until just now where I wrote about 1000 words. Speaking of long. Longest chapter so far!_

_Getting kind of nervous adding in all these plot points and what not. XD I'm keeping notes and what not, but still. I might miss something or miss some canon from the game/anime that negates something I write here. If I ever do end up doing that...then this story is AU? I mean I guess it's already AU by introducing the game and anime universe to each other..._

_Like, review, tweet, follow, fave, declare war on, sneeze at, cuddle, create a documentary on, rap about, and ENJOY this chapter!_


	11. Five Hours

Five hours. Meta Knight had five hours to prepare for a fate-of-the-universe mission. He had no doubt that asking Magolor to arrive as soon as possible was a good thing, but five hours seemed like so little time to do so much. First thing was first though, he had to let Blade and Sword know. He knew they could not accompany him on this mission in their state, so the task was on him to make them understand this. They would fight against his wishes, he knew, but in the end Meta Knight was certain they would see reason. After that, he would let Bun and Fumu know. He would promise them everything would be okay and that he would get Kirby back. Maybe if he promised them that, he would have to succeed? After that, it would just be a matter of small touches. But first thing was first. Blade and Sword had to be told of the news.

Leaving the castle and entering the town, (Now wearing a special new cape and paldrons) he was greeted by a few cautious and curious glances, but did not give them more then a moments care. Knowing that visiting hours for the hospital had been open for about twenty minutes, the knight was pleased to know he would not have to sneak through the window once more. He knocked twice on the door, then took a step back. Dr. Yabui lazily opened the door only a few seconds later, and gestured Meta Knight in. The knight did so, and made his way straight toward Sword and Blades room. But before he could grab the door handle to their room, Dr. Yabui cleared his throat. Meta Knight did not turn toward the doctor.

"Sword and Blade still have visitors. Remember that three is the max."

Visitors? Who else would visit Sword and Blade? Not that the two knaves weren't liked, it's just that most cappies didn't have a personal relationship with the duo. Meta Knights curiosity would soon be sated as he pushed open the door, his senses sharpened and alert. He was surprised to see that the visitors were Fumu and Bun! Fumu was standing next to Swords bedside, and mentioned knave was sitting up against a few propped pillows, her arms folded in front of her. Bun was positioned next to the open window. One hand hanging limply at his side, the other hanging outside. Blade too was sitting up but was leaning forward, his mouth open in conversation but now silent as Meta Knight entered the scene. They had been discussing something, this Meta Knight could tell.

"Fumu? Bun? What are you two doing here?" The knight questioned, looking from one face to another. Bun shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, we remembered Blade and Sword were all banged up and stuff and bumming at the hospital. Since they probably don't get that many visitors, we thought, you know, why not see what they're up to." Bun scratched his nose and avoided eye contact with the knight at all costs. Meta Knight kept his gaze level and cold. He could smell a rat. A quick glance to Fumu showed him that she was also avoiding looking in the knights direction, instead choosing to keep her empty gaze to the floor. As of now he had no way to know if they were truly lying, or just hiding the truth. Meta Knight decided to keep quiet. Now wasn't the time for this. He had business to do.

"I apologize then, but I must cut this visit short. I must discuss something with my knaves in private and it cannot wait." Meta Knight explained. He hadn't meant to sound so blunt, but he had five hours to get everything in order, and he was sure it was going to take four of those hours to set Sword and Blade in place. Sword and Blade gave each other glances. Fumu and Bun copied. Meta Knight noticed that the looks on their faces were not confused, but knowing. What had they been discussing before?

"Aww, can't we stay?" Bun begged, sounding more aggravated than necessary. "We already know what you're gonna talk about, and we don't wanna be left out!" He crossed his arms in a pout.

"I have no intention of leaving you and Fumu in the dark, but I want to discuss things with my knaves first." Meta Knight replied instantly.

Bun looked ready to fight back, and was about to reply, when a light touch from Fumu on his shoulder quieted any response he might've spoken. Bun turned to his sister, his mouth turned into a frown. Fumu shook her head ever so slightly. Bun huffed out hot air, knowing what his sister meant, but didn't like it. Fumu took her brothers hand in hers, and started to guide him out of the room. As the duo passed the knight, Fumu gave Meta Knight a haunting look so unlike her. Meta Knight did not acknowledge the look, but it gave him chills. Fumu seemed so...broken. The life had been sucked out of her, and it was obvious just by looking in her eyes that she was no longer all there. The poor girl. Once the children were out of the room and the door was closed, Meta Knight put these thoughts behind him. He stood in silence for a few moments before violently pounding a fist on the door behind him. The knight had to fight to keep a chuckle to himself as he heard Bun shout in surprise. Meta Knight once more asked the children to leave as politely as possible, and was glad to hear receding foot steps. Now that that was out of the way, he had some things to discuss with the knaves. But first, some questions.

"What were you four discussing in my absence?" The knight questioned. He couldn't keep the curious tone out of his voice.

"You told Fumu and Bun about the Mirror World?" Sword countered, avoiding his question. Or she was answering it indirectly.

"Yes, I did. Bun asked me if I knew where Kirby was, and I saw no reason to keep the truth from him." Meta Knight explained.

"Sir, are you positive Kirby is in the Mirror World?" Meta Knight didn't like the tone Blade was using. It seemed too accusing.

"I am positive of nothing, but the Mirror World is our best bet as of now."

"But you're not one-hundred percent sure that Kirby is there, right?" Now Sword held that tone. What were his knaves getting at?!

"No. I am not. Why are you asking me this?" Blade and Sword once more shared a look, communicating with nothing but their eyes and lip expressions. Finally, the silence was broken when Sword sighed.

"Bun and Fumu came in asking us what we knew about Kirby and the Mirror World. Bun seemed so eager to get information, but was really disappointed when we couldn't tell him much." Sword slumped deeper into her pillows, scowling at Meta Knight. He was sure that she didn't even realize she was holding such a sour look at her superior, so Meta Knight didn't hold her responsible. "Is it really a good idea to get them involved when all we have to offer as information are hunches and guesses?"

"I saw two choices. Tell them what I was thinking, or lie and disappoint them. I believed that, under the circumstances, it would do more harm then good to keep them ignorant of the situation. Which is why I will discuss with them what I am going to discuss with you when I am done here." Sword averted her eyes from her lord, and Blade rubbed the back of his head, trying to find his words. Both knaves, without speaking, had decided nothing was going to be solved. Meta Knight could be stubborn when he wanted to be. Their silence gave Meta Knight all the push he needed to get on with it. "I have found a way to the Mirror World, and will be departing in five hours." With this information, Blade and Sword perked up, paying full attention and waiting for their instructions.

"Five hours? So soon?" Blade questioned with dread.

"I want to leave as quickly as possible. No time can be wasted." Blade and Sword nodded.

"Of course. Kirbys safety is on the line. We understand that." Sword replied. "But...what of us? You were planning of leaving us, right?" Meta Knight bit his lip, letting an awkward pause settling over the room. Here we go.

"Yes. Neither of you are in position to move. And I can guarantee a fight will occur during the journey. I will not risk my knaves safety." Meta Knight explained, keeping his back straight and voice firm. He was expecting many things. Blade to beg him to reconsider. Sword to try and convince her lord that both of them were perfectly fit for battle. What he didn't consider was Sword nodding.

"Of course. Neither of us are in condition to protect you. We would just be a hindrance to the mission." Meta Knight took note that Sword sounded...hollow. She too had her ghosts, but this was one Meta Knight had never seen from her. It disturbed him just the slightest. The knight turned to Blade to get his response. He was chewing his lip, and it was painfully obvious he had something on his mind. Just as Meta Knight was about to ask what, Blade let his voice be heard.

"But Sir! You can't just leave without us! We want to protect you! We have sworn our lives to you and a few injuries are not enough to deter us from our promise!" He paused for one second to catch his breath, but in that one moment, Sword barked Blades name, calling him to attention. The action was so sudden that Blade jumped. Swords expression was serious.

"You have a broken foot and can't walk. I can't take a breathe without sharp pain. If we were up against anything like Marx again, we wouldn't last thirty seconds." She waited for Blade to reply, but his shocked expression told Sword more than his words would. "We wouldn't be any help to Meta Knight." It seemed this room was going to be filled with many uncomfortable silences. Meta Knight and Sword kept their eyes trained on Blade, not speaking a word until the young knave responded. Finally, he grunted, hanging his head and slumping his shoulders.

"I...guess you're right. It just feels wrong to be left behind." Blade mumbled.

"I do not enjoy leaving you both behind, but I am considering your safety before anything else." Meta Knight grabbed the door knob. Everything that he had wanted to say had been said. Despite Blades reluctance to submit, it had gone smoother than he had imagined it would. "The captain I have recruited is a friend of mine. He knows what he is doing, so the traveling will not be a problem. I will visit you both once more when he has arrived to introduce you. I will take my leave now." Meta Knight pushed the door open without waiting for his knaves to respond. But just the slight action of moving the door open felt wrong. The door felt too heavy. And it wasn't because the weight of his worries was affecting him. The door just felt heavier. Meta Knight peeked around the door and into the hallway, and didn't know whether or not to be surprised that Bun had been snooping. The heavy feeling Meta Knight had felt before had been the weight of the door slamming Bun in the cheek. Fumu was no where to be found. "Bun? I thought I sent you away. When did you return?"

Bun scratched the back of his head, a guilty and embarrassed smirk on his lips. He got caught snooping about often, but it still humiliated him when he was found out. "Around the time you said 'I saw two choices.'" Bun replied.

Well, at least now he wouldn't have to repeat his story. "And how do you feel about this?"

"I think Sword gave up too easily." Meta Knights visible twitch told Bun all he wanted to know. He couldn't help snorting. "Well...yeah. She didn't bother fighting back. I dunno..." Bun threw his arms behind his head and chewed his lip. His next response was a few seconds delayed. "Seemed kinda out of character to me."

"Out of character or not, Swords decision and reasons are her own." He started forward toward the exit. With his back to Bun, he didn't notice Bun give Sword and Blades room a curious glance. Before he could do anything else, Meta Knight spoke up once more. "Come, I'll explain to Fumu what I have told Sword and Blade." A few seconds later. "And elaborate on what you overheard."

The duo left the hospital then without another word. Mayor Lens house was on the other side of town, meaning that the walk there would talk a good while. Meta Knight and Bun fell into the knights old and familiar companion: Uncomfortable silence. The way the two went about their business was a startling contrast. Meta Knight firm and straight, keeping his eyes level and focused. While Bun lolled his head side-to-side, taking in the scenery and letting his mind wander. Also, to not see Fumu and Bun walking together caused some of the passerby's to give concerned glances to Buns direction. After the sixth or so glance, Meta Knight noticed that Buns lazy stare had drifted to the ground. His jaw was clenched tight.

"Why do all those people gotta stare?" Bun mumbled so low that Meta Knight almost missed it. The knight was sure the question was rhetorical and asked only out loud in annoyance. But perhaps Meta Knight could provide an answer anyways.

"They are concerned for you, Bun. That is all." Bun snorted.

"Sure. If you say so." Meta Knight gave Bun a confused glance, and Bun grimaced. "Now you're doing it!"

Of all things, Meta Knight chuckled. "I apologize, then. But the way you responded makes me think that you don't believe what I said."

Bun crossed his arms and kept his gaze downcast. "I dunno what to believe. One second everyone is all brain-dead about everything, and the next they all want to help! I wish they would make up their minds..."

"I think the Cappys wish the same thing about themselves." Bun finally tore his thoughtful look from the ground, and threw it at Meta Knight. But the knight said nothing. Bun snorted, deciding to drop the issue. Meta Knight and his damn riddles.

The rest of the walk was uneventful, and soon the duo had finally arrived at the mayors house. Meta Knight went to knock on the door, but was beaten to the punch when Bun pushed the door open without a second thought. Meta Knight let his fist hang in the air for one more seconds before tucking it back into his cape. He mentally shrugged though before entering the home, closing the door behind him. Bun was no where to be found, but a light footfall coming from what Meta Knight remembered to be the front room told the knight all he needed to know. Meta Knight entered the room, which looked exactly the same as before. Save the TV was off. Bun had poked his head inside the doorway leading into a hall, and was sucking in a breath.

"FUMU? MAYOR LEN? ANYONE HERE?!" Silence greeted them. Well, Mayor Len had many responsibilities to tend to throughout the day, so it was no surprise he wasn't home. But Fumu? That was a different story. Bun glanced toward Meta Knight, and shrugged.

"We're here, Bun!" Two squeaky voices, male and female, called from above. Meta Knight and Bun turned toward the small stairwell leading to the upper part of the house just in time to see Fololo and Falala floating down.

"How was the trip to the hospital?" Falala questioned.

"How were Blade and Sword?" Fololo finished.

"The trip was good and Blade and Sword are fine." Bun replied on auto-pilot. "Either of you two know where Fumu is?"

"Didn't she go to the hospital with you?" Both asked at once. Bun nodded.

"Yeah, but she left before I did. I figured she would've just come here after that..." He trailed off at the end, realizing that his sister wasn't here. Which meant he had no idea where she was. To everyone's surprise, Bun started to look a bit panicked. "Uh, w-well where could she have gone then?"

"Kawasaki's?"

"Whispy's Woods?"

"The museum?"

While the twins started naming various places, Meta Knight started forming his own ideas. His thought process was simple and the conclusion obvious he felt. He opened his mouth to state what he knew-

"Found her!"

And Meta Knight promptly clamped his mouth shut. Three sets of eyes turned towards Bun, who had crossed the living room and was now peeking outside the window. Meta Knight, Fololo, and Falala joined him, and a collective intake of breathe ensued.

A lone figure made her way up a very tall and bright green hill. Even as a speck in the distance, her movements were broken and hesitant, as if she was being guided instead of moving of her own will. Which wasn't a very calming thing to think, seeing as the idea of a possessed Dedede was still fairly fresh. Following the direction she was walking, once would come across a lone cement dome with an old-timey chimney. A small wooden window allowed for a glimpse outside, which would present the viewer with a view of the village, the castle, and the vast ocean. Next to the little dome stood a short tree, maybe double the length of the dome but half its width. The location of where the girl was going is what caused the hiss of air.

Fumu was going to Kirbys home.

This worried the four more than it should have. With Fumu being so emotionally cold as of late, who knew what she was going to do when she made it to the house. Fumu probably didn't even know what she was going to do! Everyone was on edge.

"Should we...uh..." Fololo tried to start, but faltered.

"...stop her?" Falala suggested. The twins looked from Bun to Meta Knight, not knowing who to look for for guidance. On one hand, Meta Knight was the usual leader. He always knew what to do and when to do it. If he felt Fumu needed to be turned around, he would know.

On the other hand, Bun was her brother, and knew her better than anyone.

It was when Meta Knight turned to Bun that Fololo and Falala chose who to pin their question on. Bun either didn't notice the awaiting looks, or ignored them. He drummed his fingers on the window sill, trying to think of an answer.

"I think...that...she shouldn't go up there alone...maybe." Bun stammered, not used to making decisions like this. Sure, being the leader for a bunch of rag tag kids when pulling pranks was easy. In fact, if he wasn't the leader, he usually had a fit. But this decision making felt much more important and...emotional. The other three noticed Buns increasing discomfort, and were quick to offer help.

"Do you want us all-" Fololo started.

"-to go up there with her?" Fololo finished.

"Or perhaps just one of us. As to not smother her." Meta Knight offered. "If you are uncomfortable with this, Bun, I will-"

"It'd probably be best if I just went." Bun interrupted. He hadn't turned toward the other three yet. "Like...I don't think she's talked much to anyone else since..." He coughed before sucking in a shaky breath. The others didn't rush him. A few moments later, Bun continued."But her and I talk a little. So...you know..." Finally, Bun left his perch, and started for the front door. "I guess I'll be back soon. Meta Knight, can you wait here 'till we come back?" Meta Knight nodded. "Alright..." Without another word, he swung the door open, left the home, then shut it gently, as if trying not to disturb the dust.

Despite just take a step or two out of the Mayors house, Bun felt as if he had stepped into a new territory. His mission made him nervous and very unsure of himself. He kept one hand on the doorknob, using it as his anchor to reality. Comforting words were not his strong point, Bun knew. When someone around him was upset, usually he just sat back and let someone else fix the mess. Maybe he should've just let Meta Knight go instead of him. But no, this was something that he knew he was going to have to do. Alone.

Bun finally slipped his hand away from the door knob, and broke off at a gallop toward Fumu. He debated calling out her name, but decided that would probably only surprise her and make things harder for all involved. Looking up at the hill, Fumu had just reached Kirbys little home, and had both hands cupped around her eyes as she leaned her forehead against the small window. Buns frown deepened. She must've been very focused or scattered-brained at the moment, because Bun had just started up the hill and still his sister hadn't noticed him. Just as he thought it was safe to call out her name without surprising her, his opportunity started to slip away when she turned her attention from the window to the door. In one motion, she grabbed the doorknob, and swung it open. What in the world was she _doing?!_ Bun had to act now, lest he lost his chance. Sure, he could just follow her into the house, but the thought of entering Kirbys home right now made his throat constrict.

"Fumu! Hold on a sec!" Fumu visibly jumped as Bun called out her name, and she turned toward him so fast that Bun himself twitched. Her expression softened when she realized it was just her brother. Bun, now not having to worry about losing his sister, had slowed to a brisk trot. He spared a glance at Kirbys home, but his eyes returned right to Fumu not a second later. "What the heck are you doing, sis? Why'd you come here?" He asked quiet bluntly. Fumu opened her mouth to respond, but promptly shut it. If there was a reason, it seemed even she didn't know it. Bun decided to change tactics. "Well, me and Meta Knight and Fololo and Falala were kinda worried about you, since I figured you would've just gone back to Mayor Lens house after the hospital..." He trailed off at the end, hoping his sister would catch on and fill him in on the missing details. Fumu obliged.

"Sorry. I should've just gone back to the house." Fumu mumbled, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Buuut?..." Bun urged, knowing there had to be more.

"But I overheard what Sir Meta Knight, Sword, and Blade were saying." At her brothers curious glance, Fumu couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I...well, the window was open to the room, so I just stood under it and listened." She shrugged, as if this was a normal activity for her. Well, it was with Dedede anyways. Bun held back a snort at his sisters reaction to her spying, knowing this was most certainly not the time for that. "A-anyways, I overheard them. Sir Meta Knight is leaving in about four hours to try and find Kirby, right?" Bun nodded. "Which means he's probably going to have to find and fight Marx again, right?" Bun nodded, a bit more slowly this time. Fumus eyes seemed to darken with the head nod.

Bun laid his hands behind his head, and sucked in a sharp breathe. "You hate Marx too, huh?" His tone was a startling contrast to his last statement. Going from nonchalant to serious in a heartbeat. Fumu nodded once.

"I don't know why he wants Kirby or what he did to Dedede, but...I...I've never been so _angry _at someone before. I've never really hated someone before either. But after what Marx made Dedede do..."

"You can't really help it?" Bun finished. Fumu mumbled her agreement. "Well Meta Knight is at the Mayors house right now, and he wants to talk to us about his leaving and all that. Maybe he'll mention someone about Marx." He shrugged.

"Maybe..." That was all that was said before the two started back for the house. Half way down the hill, Bun turned turned to his sister.

"So...why _did _you come up here anyways?" Bun questioned once more. As a response, Fumu reached into a small pocket, and held up something in her hand. The object was none other than Kirbys Warp Star. It was a sickly green color, and it's usual light glow was no where to be seen. To make matters worse, the center of the Warp Star looked cracked. Bun couldn't help but cringe at the poor thing.

"I was hoping to see if there was some way to fix Kirbys Warp Star. Since it and Kirby are connected. I have a bad feeling the worse this looks, the worse Kirby is feeling..." She sighed. "So I hoped that if I could fix this, maybe I could..." She trailed off before shaking her head. "It was a stupid idea for me to think that Kirbys home could fix it. I guess this was the only place I could think of to go right now." She shoved the Warp Star back in her pocket.

"Well if you really wanted to fix it, you probably gotta go to Ka-" He chocked on his tongue as he felt a metaphorical slap in the face occur. That would be the one place his sister and him would not be going to for a long, long time.

Buns pace become twitchy as he had the sudden urge to cry again, but he _hated _crying, so with all his might, Bun forced himself to hold the tears back. His hand became warmer as Fumu laced her fingers with Buns, and the two walked the last 100 feet to the Mayors house in silent comfort. Swinging open the door, the two strolled into the living room with their heads low. Fololo and Falala had taken a seat on the back of the couch in front of the TV, while Meta Knight had remained standing next to them. Before the siblings entered, Meta Knight had just finished telling the tale to the demon twins. All three heads swiveled as Fumu and Bun entered the room. Without another word, Fololo and Falala floated over to Fumu, and the three shared in a long embrace. When they all parted ways, Fumu faced Meta Knight. She inhaled to ask him what he wanted to talk about with all intent and purpose to pretend she hadn't snooped, but Bun got the first word in instead.

"Fumu overheard you guys too. She knows as much as I do." Fumu turned to her brother in horror, giving him the stink eye. Bun glanced at this sister, then shrugged. "Well you did! I don't wanna waste time hearing stuff I, actually _we, _already know!" Bun fought back defensively. Fumu had a good scolding prepared for Bun, but dropped it with a snarl.

"I guess you have a point..." Fumu mumbled. She returned her attention back to Meta Knight. He had not moved since the duo arrived, and if he was angry or surprised at Fumu snooping on him and his knaves, he did not show it. In all honesty, he didn't care too much. That just meant he wouldn't have to tell the story a third time. "You're going after Kirby in the Mirror World." Not so much a question, but a statement to confirm facts.

"Yes. The captain I have recruited is going to take me there. It will be an indirect route, but we will make it nonetheless."

"Indirect?" Bun parroted. "You're not just going straight there? What's the point in that?"

"The ship we are using cannot travel to the Mirror World, but the captain believes he knows of a woman who can take us there. We are going to travel to her dimension, speak with her, and she will take us to the Mirror World."

"Do you know who this lady is?" Bun asked. Meta Knight shook his head.

"I do not. But if the captain trusts her, then I will too."

"Who all is going with you?" Fumu asked this. Meta Knight couldn't help feeling a bit uncomfortable being pelted with questions. But he expected as much.

"The captain and myself. If I could pilot his ship I would ask him to stay behind. But not only is his ship foreign to me, I do not think he would part with it willingly." Meta Knight chuckled. "But the captain is capable of handling himself, so I do not worry about him."

"I don't think it's such a smart idea to go by your guy's selves." Bun replied slowly. "I mean...what if it's not just Marx you gotta fight? He's got all that Dark Matter stuff to use against you, so you gotta worry about that. And then there's Dedede and the Mirror World guys and probably a bunch of other things that'll want to keep you away from Kirby."

"I understand the risks, but I would not be going alone if I did not think my friend and I could handle things. I hope to fight as little as possible. Stealth will by my ally for this mission." Meta Knight explained without a hint of doubt. He sucked in a sharp breathe, and released it slowly, trying to buy a few more seconds to think of what he wanted to say next. "I will _not _fail this mission. I will bring Kirby back home to us. To you both. This I swear on my honor." Silence for a long moment, where Meta Knight thought that the conversation ended then and there. If it had not been for the way Fumu shifted from side-to-side, Meta Knight would've already left.

"Sir Meta Knight, could you swear one more thing for us?" Fumu finally asked while wrapping her arms around herself, as if cold.

"What would that be?" Fumu hesitated for a while, chewing her lip. But she spoke eventually.

"Promise...promise that _you'll _come back home too." Meta Knight couldn't help but look at Fumu with confused eyes, Even Bun gave her a surprised glance. "We lost Kirby, we lost our parents, and we lost our sense of security. I just..." Fumu massaged her eyes as her mouth formed a deep frown. "...Just..." Fololo and Falala, who had floated by quietly the whole time, moved toward Fumu, offering her a pat on the shoulder and a hand to hold. One more loud intake of breath, and Fumu had gained control of herself. Her eyelids looked ever so red, but they were dry. "I just couldn't stand the thought of losing someone else."

The first thought that entered Meta Knights mind was that he would do everything in his power to make sure Kirby was brought back home. Even if it meant laying down his own life. That was the way of the knight and the Star Warrior. But seeing Fumu in front of him, practically begging for his safety made him actually question his thoughts. He had never really considered his own safety or well being when it came to missions. Of course if he was in combat, he would do everything to stay alive. But that was when the mission was in progress and the goal out of sight. When a happy ending to the mission was possible, even if it was harmful to himself, Meta Knight always chose that end. Could he promise this to Fumu? That even if his death meant Kirby would come back, he would chose an alternate path and keep himself alive? It sounded very selfish to him, and went against his very state of being, but he found he couldn't deny this wish. Slowly, Meta Knight nodded.

"On my honor, I swear I will return home as well." He stated robotically. The look of relief that washed over Fumu's face should've set his mind at ease, but it did nothing of the sort. Before an uncomfortable silence could settle, Meta Knight spoke up once more. "I must depart now. I have three and a half hours left before the ship arrives, and I have much to do. Before we leave, I will introduce you to the captain. If you all could meet at the hospital with Sword and Blade at that time, I would appreciate it."

And with that, he was gone.

…

…

"Hey sis, Fololo and Falala. Wanna go see Whispy?"

"Hmm? Why?"

A sly smile. "Ooooh no reason, really."

**~OoO~**

The next few hours for Meta Knight, though filled with much to do, seemed to fly by too fast. After leaving Mayor Lens home, Meta Knight had returned to the castle with the intention of letting Escargon know he was going after Kirby. (And by extension, Dedede)

Going through the halls of Castle Dedede, Meta Knight had found more than half the Waddle Dees fumbling about. They dropped items, slipped and tripped, and seemed more clumsy than usual. Instead of looking for Escargon, Meta Knight had turned around and decided to search for the one-eyed captain of the Dees: Waddle Doo, to get an explanation. The Waddle Dees were usually of little concern to the knight, but even he could not ignore their chaotic behavior. Someone was going to be hurt or something broken beyond repair if something was not done about this. Luckily it did not take long to find Waddle Doo. His one large eye was glaring holes at a group of Waddle Dees who were all pulling hard on a rope. Waddle Doo was belting out orders and encouragement to whatever job the team was doing. Meta Knight had just offered the group a passing glance when he noticed the Waddle Dee in the back slip over his own feet. The result was a horrible domino effect. Each Waddle Dee either lost their grip on the rope, or had it yanked out of their hands when one of their brethren fell into them. Meta Knight couldn't help but cringe. That couldn't have been pl-

"LOOK OUT!"

Meta Knight was jarred from his thoughts with gale force at the cry of alarm. It all happened in a split second. His eyes turned from the group of fallen Dees, to the horrified Doo staring straight at him, to the growing shadow pooling around him. The sound of rushing wind increased with each millisecond, and using one of those milliseconds, Meta Knight turned upward. And with no more time to react, Meta Knight worked on muscle memory. He grabbed the edges of his cape, and quickly pinpointed a spot away from his current position. A few feet behind Waddle Doo. With a quick shift of his arms, Meta Knight covered himself with his cape, and blinked out of existence just as the wooden chandelier collided with the floor where he had been a nanosecond before. It exploded in a shower of splinters and metal particles.

Waddle Doo slammed his giant eye shut, not too keen on the idea of splinters or metal blinding him. He waved his stubby arm back and forth in a fanning motion, trying to clear the dust particles so it could be safe to open his eyes once more. He coughed a few times, but how this was possible was left up in the air.

"Wh-where- *_cough* -_Where's Sir Meta Knight?!" Waddle Doo strained. If his eye was open, he would see at least twenty stubby arms pointing at the area behind him. But he didn't, so he hadn't. "Someone send in the medic crew! Even someone tough-as-nails like Sir Meta Knight can't be in too great a shape after that!"

"Commander, you can open your eye now."

Waddle Doo jumped a few inches in the air, and bounced forward and away from the _very _unexpected voice. Ever so slowly, he cracked his eyelid open, checking his surroundings just to be sure. When Waddle Doo was sure the coast was clear, he opened his eye. He was greeted with the sight of twenty some confused Waddle Dees, and one perfectly not-crushed-to-smithereens Meta Knight. Before Meta Knight could speak again, Waddle Doo flung his arm in the direction of Meta Knight. His eye open in horror and wonder. He repeatedly jabbed his hand at the knight, as if he was trying to say: _'Look look look!'_

"You vanished! I saw it! That's why you're not smooshed right now! I thought I was crazy for a sec!" The last part he shouted with more relief than necessary. Meta Knight had to bite his lip to keep a chuckle back. The scene in front of him was comical, he had to admit. But it would not be proper to laugh. He only hoped his eyes wouldn't turn pink, or the jig would be up. Instead, Meta Knight took a corner of his cape, and pulled it forward.

One would instantly realize it was not Meta Knights usual cerulean cape. It was a dark purple in shade. The material itself felt lighter. It's hem was lined with a beautiful gold silk. On the back was an insignia of a silver 'M' with a sword going down it's center. The same insignia was displayed in silver on the pauldrons as well, which were almost the same shade as Meta Knight but lined with a bright silver. Waddle Doo seemed to be taking in each and every strand of the cape.

"It is called the Dimensional Cape. It allows the wearer to teleport short distances in a blink of an eye. It also grants the ability of flight." At this, Waddle Doo could only blink his response. The cape suddenly started to ripple like water. In what sounded like the snap of fabric, the cape had split and ascended into a pair of horrible bat wings. The each had three fingers, and a hooked claw for the thumb. Meta Knight gave them a test flap, and they responded to his will perfectly. Waddle Doo jumped back in surprise.

"Holy guacamole!" Waddle Doo blurted out, his pupil a pinprick. Ever so slowly, he regained himself. While his eye looked back to normal, he still shook. "Jeeze Sir Meta Knight. You Star Warriors get the fanciest toys..." In response, Meta Knight let out a deep throat chuckle.

"To get to the reason why I came here. I wanted to express my concern about the state of the Waddle Dees." To emphasis his point, Meta Knight turned toward a particular group of Dees. While they were _supposed_ to be pouring cement into a wheelbarrow, the Dee doing the pouring was getting half in, and the other half was going on the floor. Waddle Doo massaged his temples.

"My men are being run into the ground by that damned _snail!" _Waddle Doo barked. Meta Knight raised an eyebrow behind his mask in surprise. "With his Majesty gone, the Waddle Dees have turned to Escargon for orders. And by extension so have I. He wants us to rebuild the castle. But he doesn't want us sleeping, eating, resting, _breaking, breathing, __**thinking**_-" Waddle Doo had grown quite exasperated as he spoke on, and had to stop himself when he realized he was shouting at the poor knight. When he spoke again, his voice was strained and drained. "We can't go on like this, Sir Meta Knight! Even his Majesty wasn't this demanding! My men are going to break more than they fix if we don't get some time to rest." This was punctuated with a loud clatter. The source of the noise was of the before mentioned wheelbarrow being pushed into a ladder, thereby throwing the Waddle Dee on top into a group of Waddle Dees at the bottom. Waddle Doo pulled his hair and groaned. "_If I hear one more crash I am going beat my head in._"

Whether Waddle Doo realized this or not, Meta Knight knew why Escargon was pushing the Waddle Dees and Doo to the brink of exhaustion. He was taking his anger and fear out on them. This was just Escargons way of coping with these emotions. The problem might've been simple to figure out, but seeing Escargons rampage for his own eyes made it very clear something had to be done. And fast!

"I will go speak with Escargon, then." He was looking for the snail to begin with anyways. Adding on this task was no problem. "If you could tell me where he could be found, that is." Waddle Doos eyes glowed with sincere thanks. It felt like a large burden had been lifted from his tiny shoulders.

"Thank you Sir Meta Knight. If you could just convince him to let my men stop every now and then for food and sleep, that's all we would need." His voice held as much gratitude as his eyes. Waddle Doo pointed toward the general direction Meta Knight had come from. "Last time I saw him he was heading for his room. Don't know if he's there, but that's probably your best bet right now."

Meta Knight nodded. "Thank you, Commander. I will speak with him now." And with that, he strode past Waddle Doo. But before he could get too far, the Commander spoke up.

"Uh...Do you know...ah..._when _you think the King will return to us?" The knight ceased walking. Meta Knight closed his eyes, took a deep breathe, and let it out slowly. Every Waddle Dee in the room had their eyes trained on him.

"Only when progress is made, will he be able to return." He started forward without another word. Waddle Doo and a random Waddle Dee shared a confused glance.

"...Did he mean progress on the castle? Or progress as...in...what exa-"

_CRASH!_

Waddle Doos forehead promptly introduced itself to the nearest wall. Several times.

* * *

_Months. Months! I just want to apologize for the slow update. You'd think an entire summer break would be enough time to update a chapter. But alas, I was SWAMPED with either collage stuff, or a small move my family had to do. In fact, our internet was knocked out for a month, and still is. I'm uploading this from the library right now. And I'm on a bit of a time crunch, so if there's any glaring mistakes I'll be sure to fix them when I get my internet back. Which should be this Thursday._

_I'm finally getting back into the swing of normal life, so expect more chapters SOONER then five or whatever months later_

_Like, fave, comment, read, write, add, tango to, paint, write a biography about, poke violently, and ENJOY this chapter._


	12. Final Preperations

The trip to Escargons room was anything but uneventful. It had taken a five minute walk nearly twenty five minutes, because every corner he turned he was greeted with the pitiful sight of a Waddle Dee nearly killing itself or its brethren by some easily avoidable accident. Sometimes Meta Knight had to quickly right a ladder after a Waddle Dee had walked into it as to prevent the Waddle Dee on top from falling three stories down. Other times he had to move sharp and/or pointy objects out of the path of the Dees. Once he even had to lunge at a Waddle Dee and shove it out of the way as a avalanche of stone came falling at it, dumped when the Waddle Dee lifting it had suddenly fallen asleep standing up! Frankly, this was getting annoying. He directed his annoyance to no one though, and only let it fester in his mind for a few seconds longer before he clenched it. Escargon wasn't in his right state of mind, and neither were the Waddle Dees. Nobody was truly at fault here.

_Finally _arriving at Escargon's room, Meta Knight made to tap on the door. But a curt laugh halted his movements. Instead, he adjusted his eye to peek through the keyhole. Inside he could make out Escargon sitting at his desk. An old fashion phone held against his eye stalk and held upright by both his hands. Meta Knight noticed Escargon fidgeting. Then he started to make out words.

"While the King is gone, he's left me in charge of everything!...Yeah, sure, he must really trust me."

Meta Knight was thoroughly confused. Who was Escargon speaking too? And why was he lying about Dedede?

"That's right! Vacation on a tropical island. His majesty is one lucky guy!...C-come for a visit? Oh, uh. I don't know Mommy, things are pretty busy around here right now..."

Well that explained a lot.

"My voice sounds strained? Really? I guess all of this stress has gotten to me a bit. But don't worry, I plan on keeping this place in tip top shape for when his Majesty returns to us. That's what he would want, and that's just what I'll do!"

Meta Knight knew that comment was double edged. And hearing it from the usually smarmy snail made the old knights insides churn ever so slightly. He listened on nonetheless. Hearing Escargon speak from his heart was a rare thing.

"...Alrighty Mommy, I've gotta lot of important stuff I need to do, so I'm gonna let you go...I _promise_ I am perfectly fine so don't you worry about me...Okay, don't worry _too _much then...I love you too, Mommy, and I'll see you soon...Alright, buh-bye."

And the phone was hung up. Escargon let his hand linger on the phone for a few more seconds before he promptly slumped forward, crossing his arms on his desk and letting his eye stalks rest in them. Meta Knight could understand Escargons pain right now, having to be the one someone looked up to when you yourself were fumbling in the dark. It was a heavy burden that you did not feel was right to share with others. But Meta Knight was on a time crunch, and this could not wait. He counted to five before tapping on the door and taking a step back. It took a few moments longer than need be, but the door was swung, practically thrown, open. On the other side was a disheveled snail with heavy bags and unkempt hair. Meta Knight acted as if this was not the case.

"What is it Meta Knight? I'm very busy!" Escargon snapped, shoving his hands onto his hips and glaring holes into the knight.

"I am sorry to disturb you then, but I bring both a message from Waddle Doo and from myself. Which would you like to hear first?"

"I already know what that one-eyed slacker wants, so let's hear yours first, I guess." His glare had softened just a notch, and his arms had moved to lazily cross in front of him. Meta Knight nodded.

"Very well. I will be departing in about two and a half hours to look for Kirby and his Majesty." At the last word, Escargons eyes flew open, all traces of annoyance or boredom gone to be replaced with total interest.

"You know where he is? Where _they _is. Uh, are?" He managed to spit out.

"I have a suspicion. I have called on the aid of an old friend. With his help, I hope to find Kirby and the King." Escargon was practically dancing on the spot.

"Well spit it out! Where're you going?!"

"The Mirror World."

"...I beg your pardon?!"

"The Mirror World."

"I heard you the first time!" Escargon spat. "Why do you think he's there?!"

"Like I mentioned before, I have my suspicions. And I will be able to confirm or deny them once the captain arrives."

"And he's coming _when?" _Escargon questioned, leaning forward.

"About two and a half hours." Meta Knight repeated, slightly curious to Escargons sudden behavior change. He was about to find out the reason for it. The snail turned back into his room, and started looking around. Meta Knight did not follow and chose to remain standing where he was.

"Well, that's not a lot of time, but I guess I could make it work..."

"Escargon?" The snail ignored the knight.

"Let's see...Gonna need my notes. Some shell wax. My tooth brush. Probably a camera when we get to the Mirror World. Uuuuh..."

Meta Knight blanched when he realized what Escargon was thinking. "_Escargon." _Meta Knight snapped. The snail lazily turned toward Meta Knight, as if he had just remembered he was standing there. "I apologize, but this mission is for myself and the captain. I will risk no more lives. Besides, you are needed here."

"_Noooo_ I am needed where his Majesty is! Even if he is possessed and crazier than usual." The last part was added as an after thought. Thrown in at the last moment as if it didn't matter. Suddenly, a smirk. "Besides, right now I am acting leader of Dreamland, and therefore I get to make _all _the decisions. So I say you've gotta let me come with you! So _HA!"_ Escargon declared, jabbing a triumphant finger at Meta Knight. The knights eye twitched. Okay, he could dumb himself down for a minute or two.

"That may be, but the moment we leave the village _Mayor Len _will be the lone acting leader. While on the ship you will have no authority. Which means if I decided to shove you out the cargo doors at one hundred-thousand feet above sea level, I will be well within my rights to do just that."

Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh considering the poor snail looked queasy now. But Meta Knight wasn't in the mood to deal with a clingy snail right now. It was just like back in the war. Some people needed a gentle nudge to understand who was in control of the situation.

While others needed a firm kick to the seat of their pants.

Escargon shook off the nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach, and made to proclaim a dozen and one things at Meta Knight. How dare he have the audacity to suggest such a thing! He will be sent to the dungeon for that comment! Mutiny! Mutiny he tells ya!

He sucked in a sharp breathe.

And promptly started sniveling.

"But _Meta Kniiiiiiiight!" _He whined like a toddler. "The King _needs meeeee!"_ Meta Knight felt a vein pop in his forehead.

"I believe he would need you to watch over Pupupu Village and Dreamland more."

"Well _I _believe he would need me by his side more. So I can write up a proper dungeon sentence for that maniac Marx for turning his Majesty into something so awful!" Meta Knight hissed a breath through his teeth, losing what little patience he had left. It was painfully, _painfully _obvious that Escargon had no idea how serious this situation was. Even after witnessing two deaths, he was still clueless. You'd think someone that ignorant would be a bit more...blissful.

Meta Knight sighed. "Escargon-"

"I think a thousand year sentence for the little villain would be an okay start. Maybe have him toil in the salt mines to boot."

"_Escargon, _I-"

"Of course, we would need to actually _construct _salt mines first. Oh! That's an idea. Make Marx_ build_ the salt mines, and_ then _have him toil in it! Aha! I truly am a genius."

"I don't think you-"

"I wonder if Kawasaki has some salt to sp-"

"ESCARGON."

The snail jumped a few inches in the air, shuddering as he caught the lighting fast moment of Meta Knights eyes glowing red just eeeever so slightly. It was gone before Escargon had hit the ground. It seemed even Meta Knight did not realize his eyes had done that. He now gave the knight his undivided attention. Mouth clamped shut and body stiff. Meta Knight let out some hot air through grit teeth, getting his momentarily lost temper back under control.

"Escargon, I don't think you understand how serious this situation is." The snail opened his mouth to reply, but Meta Knight held up a finger, motioning for him to _hold his damn horses. _"No, let me finish. This isn't just about Marx anymore. Marx is working for someone. He got the ability to manipulate Dark Matter from someone else. Marx is _not _alone, and I'm certain whoever he is working for will be right next to him _and _keeping a firm grip on the King and Kirby. This will not be something so simple as to sneak in and sneak them out. That is why I will not risk anyone else. This mission could very well lead to my death." Despite his promise to Fumu, the possibility was still very much there, and he wasn't going to ignore it for a second. Escargon tested the waters, and opened his mouth ever so slightly. Seeing as Meta Knight wasn't snapping at him to shut it, Escargon took his chance. The knight was so sure Escargon was going to start shouting nonsense out of anger, but what he heard was a surprise.

"You would really...lay down your life? For them?" Escargon asked with morbid curiosity. Meta Knight nodded without a second thought.

"Kirby is just a child who is being tormented for doing the right thing. When Nightmare returns, he is our only hope for salvation. The King is an innocent victim in this mess. If they cannot save themselves, then I will do _everything_ in my power to help them."

Escargon wrung his hands together so tight that they turned a bit pale from the effort. "Well...F-fine then. I'm needed here anyways. When you bring his Majesty back, he'll need a clean and fixed castle to return to!" The snails lost dignity and ignorant cockiness came back all at once. "So as acting ruler of Dreamland, I command you to go out there and make whoever took his Majesty away hurt. You got that?"

"It will be done." Meta Knight replied to satisfy him. Just as Escargon turned away, Meta Knight called out. "Before we part, Waddle Doo requests that he and his men are allowed to take regularly scheduled breaks to eat and rest. Seeing the state the Waddle Dees are in, I strongly agree with him." Escargon snorted.

"They just need to be slapped around a few times and they'll be fine. They're just lazy good-for-nothings!" He spat. How to respond, how to respond...

"If you allow the Waddle Dees and Waddle Doo to take regular breaks, I will give you Marx's hat." Escargon blinked.

"Why would I want that?"

"How else could I get it if that beast was not dead?"

Blink.

Blink.

Realization blink.

"Okay, you've got a deal buddy. Let Waddle Doo know." And the door was slammed in his face.

**~OoO~**

With the monotonous task of letting Escargon know what was going on _thankfully _done with, Meta Knight had quickly let Waddle Doo know of Escargons standing. The Doo had burst into tears at the news, shouting to his men that it was time for lunch and a nap. Meta Knight had never seen the Waddle Dees show emotion before, but he was certain that this was the happiest they had ever looked. The room they were all standing in was cleared out in ten seconds flat, leaving Meta Knight to stand there and wonder what hell he just unleashed upon the kitchen. It was not his concern, however, and he forced his mind to focus on other things. Namely his final preparation.

Meta Knight was back in the basement, ending his prep journey where it began. Once more, he sat in the yellow Star Ship, booting up its communication system. The reason he had not done this the moment he had ended his call with Magolor was for the sole purpose that he had to make a decision first. He spent the last three hours mulling it over, but he had finally reached a compromise in his mind. Working on muscle memory, Meta Knight punched in a long string of numbers, and adjusted the frequency to as high as it could go. The ship he was contacting now would be no doubt in this dimension, but who knew how far away it was. A minute or two later, a young boy started speaking.

"Heya Pinkie! Haven't heard from ya in a while!" Meta Knight could only imagine the body on the other side rubbing his nose. "Can't believe you remembered the Destrayahs ship code! Le-heh-het me tell ya, this thing's a hunk of junk of 'advanced' tech."

"Knuckle Joe?" Silence, then:

"Jeeze Kirbs. Either puberty socked ya one real good or I'm talking to Meta Knight right now." Meta Knight failed to hold back a chuckle. "I'm gonna go with the second one. 'Sup Meta Knight? What can I do for ya?"

"Greetings Joe." Meta Knight started. "I wish I could say this call is for casual purposes, but in truth I wish to ask of you a very important task."

"Uh. Sure? What's up?" Knuckle Joe asked, all traces of playfulness gone from his tone. Going on auto-pilot, Meta Knight began to retell the tale of woe as he had told it multiple times. Unlike the others who sat quiet until the end, if Knuckle Joe had a question or comment, he didn't wait to voice it. Although Meta Knight tried to keep the story under twenty minutes, Knuckle Joe's constant interruptions brought the total time up to an hour! But in the end, Meta Knight did manage to get the story out. He had started with Nightmare's return,

"-Woah now wait just a damn sec. _The _Nightmare?!"

to Marx,

"-That jester thing? Yeah, Kirbs told me about him a while back. Heard he had a stupid hat."

to Memu and Parms death.

"-Are Fumu and Bun doing okay after that?"

Meta Knight had stopped his story for a moment to assure him of their well being, although he added on that Fumu seemed to be more withdrawn as of late. Knuckle Joe sighed, then willed Meta Knight to continue. Which he did. By the end of the story, Knuckle Joe was uncharacteristically silent. There was a light drumming coming from his end of the radio, making Meta Knight think Joe was tapping his fingers on something.

"Since you say ya've got 'bout an hour and a half before this Magolor character is comin' for ya, I'm gonna give ya the benefit of the doubt and believe all this that ya've told me." Knuckle Joe responded with care, making sure to pick the right words. Before Meta Knight could respond, Knuckle Joe spoke up once more. "Alright, ya said ya've got some important task for me? Guessing it corresponds to all this junk?"

"Correct. What I am about to ask of you is extremely important, so please pay full attention." Silence for a good five seconds. Meta Knight took that as a good sign. "Magolor and I will be departing for the Mirror World in a few hours. If we do not return within the week, I want you to speak with Sir Arthur and tell him everything I have told you. Sirica has joined with the GSA, correct?" A quick yes from Joe. "So she should have privilege to speak with him. Tell him everything. If he doesn't believe you, bring him here to speak with Kabu. As a Star Warrior, Arthur will have no choice but to believe him. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I getchya. Although why don't you want to let the others know about Nightmare now? Seems kinda important to get the word out as fast as possible." Meta Knight expected this question, and in fact had asked himself this many times. He had convinced himself of an answer.

"Because nothing is known for certain. Kabu does not know where Nightmare is, or how he's regaining power. Sir Arthur would ignore these circumstances and waste men and resources that he doesn't have looking for the demon. In fact, if it was made known that I was going to the Mirror World, I have no doubt Sir Arthur would send a battalion to look for him. Sir Arthur is wise, patient, and calm _except _when it comes to Nightmare." A snort from Joe's end.

"I agree with ya there. I really do." Now he sighed. "Alright, one week by Dreamland standards. I won't fail ya, Meta Knight."

"Thank you, friend. Now I must go."

"Before ya go, Just wanna ask. Why ask me this and not Sirica? She has closer relations to the GSA and would be able to get the message out faster." Knuckle Joe was surprised to hear a soft laugh from Meta Knight.

"This is true. I spent the last three hours debating whether to ask this to you or to Sirica, and I decided on you because you are less likely to let this secret out early. If Marx is in the Mirror World, that is enough cause for me to believe that Nightmare is there as well. If I go there and he is not, but word has already reached Sir Arthur that he is, then the end result would be anything but peaceful."

"I getchya. Good luck out there, old man." Meta Knight took a quick intake of breathe to say goodbye, but Knuckle Joe quickly tacked on something else. "Oh, and when you see Fumu and Bun and the Lola twins again. Tell them...tell them that it stops hurting...after a while. And that life...goes on, ya know?"

Such compassionate words coming from Knuckle Joe has stunned Meta Knight into silence for a few moments. Perhaps this was a subconscious reason he chose Knuckle Joe to talk to. While both he and Sirica lost their parents, Knuckle Joe had always been more hurt by it. If Knuckle Joe could get past it, then the other four children could too.

"I will tell them that, Joe. I'm sure it'll be what they need to hear."

"Alright, that's good. Well, catch ya later, then."

Meta Knight said his goodbye, and the two ended the transmission. He quickly checked the small on-board clock. With all his duties done, he had an hour to kill.

He left the basement in the exact way it had been entered, save for a bit more dust floating in the air. Looking around, Meta Knight couldn't see a single Waddle Dee working. Good, he thought, let them have a break. With a nod, he gave the Waddle Dees no more thought.

Out of the basement, and out of the castle. The day had grown hotter as the hours had passed. The time was around 1pm, which meant the weather could only get more uncomfortable. It didn't bother the old knight though. He had been to the most blistering deserts and coldest tundras this side of the universe. Entering Pupupu Village, it was clear the Cappy's weren't as adapted to harsh weather as Meta Knight was, for many of them were quickly showing signs of their discomfort. Disgruntled faces littered the crowd. Cold confectioneries and sweet bottles of soda-pop were making killer sales at the convenient store. If there was a shaded spot in the village, even with the sun directly above Dreamland, it was being used.

Despite the heat and agitation of the Cappy's, Pupupu Village was behaving in a normal function. Items were sold, business was done, chitter-chatter was the background music to life. Meta Knight was inwardly thankful for this. Everyone seemed to be moving on from the funeral and pushing toward the future. Of course, the cappys usually seemed to ignore problems the moment they were out of sight. He had seen so many families from wars past who would spend weeks stuck to the hopeless string of things returning to normal. It hurt, but it was always better in the end to move on one way or another.

For a split second, Meta Knight returned to reality, having been lost in deep thought of times long ago. This second was long enough to find that he had absent-mindedly traveled to a specific location, namely Kawasaki's Restaurant. More than likely though, he had followed the loud grunts and shouts of dismay coming from inside. Meta Knight had planned on just traveling through town to give everything and everyone a once over. Usually he could accomplish this by perching himself upon a high structure and guarding everyone like a dragon protecting its hoard, but with recent events sitting still just didn't feel as right. Hopefully this anxiousness would pass. Meta Knight made to turn around and leave the restaurant behind him, but it seemed as fate had other ideas. The restaurants owner and head (and only) chef Kawasaki had just left the back room, carrying with him four large crates stacked one on top of the other. The poor chef swayed here and there, trying to keep the crates from toppling over. He grunted and gasped as he went forward. Meta Knight was about to offer his assistance, but once more fate would play it forward.

Not being able to see in front of him, the poor chef had hobbled right into the path of a chair that had not been pushed into the table for four. Kawasaki unceremoniously flopped forward onto said chair with the boxes still stacked, but they were slowly tipping over. The chef made to move one of his hands to catch the top most crate, but suddenly it seemed to stop moving all on its own. Kawaski audibly exclaimed his confusion with a dopy 'huh?'. Managing to peek around the boxes, the chef was most certainly surprised to see that Meta Knight had quickly saved the day (or at least the boxes and their contents) by righting the containers and catching the one that was ready to drop. With a silent agreement, the two made quick work of setting the four stacked crates on the chair. Kawasaki whipped the sweat from his brow before breaking out into a gracious, if not somewhat embarrassed, smile.

"Thanks for saving my tail feathers, Meta Knight." Kawasaki spoke in his usual jolly voice. "This happens more than I'd like to admit, ya know?"

"Perhaps you should make two trips next time." Meta Knight curtly responded, already unconcerned about the conversation. Kawasaki shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. It's just real hot out and two trips sounds almost painful." He chuckled, his gracious smile becoming less gracious and more embarrassed. Meta Knight eyeballed the crates, his curiosity ever so slightly peeked. Sure, Kawasaki delivered. But the two reasons this delivery seemed odd was that not only must the crates be _packed _with goodies, but...well, to put it bluntly, people would rather eat the bark from Whispy's Woods than stomach Kawasaki's cooking.

"Where were you taking these?" He asked without giving the chef a passing glance. Kawasaki responded almost immediately.

"I figured that with Mayor Len keeping an eye on the four kids, he'd need some extra food stuffs. So I decided that I'd help him out a little." Without waiting, Kawasaki removed the lid from one of the crates. Luckily the chef had had the foresight to keep things simple. This crate contained such things like rice balls, sandwiches with various meats cut into triangles, and rice platters with oodles of different kinds of curry sauces. The curry sauces were nestled in their own little containers, giving the eater plenty of choices. Meta Knight raised both eyebrows in surprise, but said nothing as Kawasaki replaced the lid. "Three of the boxes are just simple things like sandwiches and rice and all that, but the bottom crate," He tapped this with this hand a few times. "is mostly sweet stuff for them to enjoy. Just a little gift from me to them, ya know?"

Trying to find his voice, Meta Knight asked the first question that came to mind. "And Mayor Len hadn't requested any of this?" Kawasaki grinned with pride while nodding.

"Not a bit! He probably was gonna get food soon, but I figured I'd beat him to the punch with a little present." Kawasaki looked at each crate like they were a work of the finest art. "Probably have about two weeks worth. Hmm, maybe next time I'll try for a full month!" He put a stubby finger to his chin while casting a glance over his shoulder and tower his kitchen." Maybe at that point I'll just leave my kitchen open and let them have at it..." He trailed off in thought.

Meta Knight was, for lack of better terms, shocked. Kawasaki was usually such a cheery fellow who always had his heart in the right place. It should've come to no surprise that he'd be so willing to help out. But then, why _was _he so surprised? The feeling confused him.

"If I may ask out of curiosity, why are you helping?" He did not like the way he worded that question, but that was as simple as it could go. Luckily, Kawasaki seemed to understand, though, for his body expression shifted from giddy helpfulness to a more reserved and thoughtful posture. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, after seeing and hearing what Fumu and Bun and the Lola twins went through, I just...weeell..." Kawasaki bit his bottom lip, his eyes holding a guilty look. Meta Knight did not rush the chef at all, knowing Kawasaki just needed a moment to think. "Alright, I feel kinda guilty for squealing like this but I think it'd be the best way to explain things. On their way to get to Kirby, Dedede and Marx Soul had blown through the village zippity quick like." He explained. "But after they was gone, everyone kinda just...well...hmm..."

"They were unresponsive?" Meta Knight suggested. Kawasaki latched onto the word like a hungry dog to a bone.

"Yeah! They just started going back to business like everything was jim-dandy! They was so sure Kirby would be able to handle whatever happened. I was so shocked and going back to cooking just didn't seem right. So I figured I'd just cut through Kabu's Canyon and try and get to Kirby before the bad guys did." He paused for just a moment. "Although _now_ I remember that Kabu's Canyon isn't so much a short cut as it is an alternate way to get there...But...well, I'm pretty glad I forget for the time, 'cause if I hadn't I wouldn't have bumped into ya when I did."

"Anyways, the point of me telling ya this is cause everybody kinda just...how to word this...lives from day-to-day. Does that make sense?" Meta Knight nodded. He couldn't agree more. "I mean, m-maybe I'm wrong or something, but that just doesn't seem like a swell way to live. 'Cause then ya kinda only act for yourself. Like...like I know peoples don't like my cooking all that much, but Kirby was always willing to help out with taste testing...or taste _inhaling _I guess." Kawasaki chuckled. "I think I'm rambling now, huh? So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I keep cooking cause I know someone out there _does_ like my food, and if I just lived day-do-day I would probably never wanna cook again or something. S-so instead of living day-to-day, I wanna try and make sure peoples and myself are happy and secure and what have you in the future, not _just _today. And since Mayor Len is already doing his part, I figured that there was something I could do too. So that's where this here food comes in." His facial expression turned to nervousness. "Jeepers I hope something I said makes sense, 'cause I was kinda just saying what popped into my head and felt right to boot."

If Meta Knight was shocked before, now he was just down right flabbergasted! While Kawasaki had always had a bit more...personality, than a number of other Cappys, he had not expected Kawasaki to jump to this conclusion on his own. With just a hint of guilt in his heart, Meta Knight mentally admitted that he had lumped Kawasaki in with the other Cappys who had their heads in the clouds. Even with Mayor Len offering to adopt the children, Meta Knight found that he thought Kawasaki understood the situation much better. The Mayor was adopting the children because they lacked a guardian and by law needed one until the age of 18. Kawasaki was helping because _it was just the right thing to do._

Meta Knight realized the poor chef looked on the verge of fainting. He had never really been forced to explain something so deep and meaningful such as this. He was obviously waiting for Meta Knight to correct him or give him a thumbs up in his way of thinking. To end his worries, Meta Knight gave Kawasaki a deep nod.

"That is a very wise way to think, Kawasaki. Living day-to-day can often lead to selfishness and fear of tomorrow. Living your life like it will go on can sometimes be the harder choice, but it will always be the most fulfilling. When did you come to this conclusion?" Kawasaki shrugged curtly, glancing at the ceiling as if it held the answer.

"About the time you got us all on your Battleship Halberd thing. It made me do some thinking and I realized that the future ain't as secure as I had always thought it was." Kawasaki turned back to the crates, slowly gathering them all in his arms. "Well it was a real good time chatting with ya again, Meta Knight. But I wanna get these to the Mayors place before it spoils from the heat." Kawasaki had returned to to his usual jolly demeanor. A can-do smile plastered onto his face and his eyes alight with the wonder usually reserved for a child. With two boxes stacked in his arms, Kawasaki made to grab for a third, but found that they were no longer on the table. For a moment, he thought they had fallen on the floor and a panic started to pang his heart. But a quick turn of his head made him realize that Meta Knight had quickly latched onto the other two boxes, and now balanced them on his shoulder with ease.

"To Mayor Len's house, then?" Meta Knight asked nonchalantly. Kawasaki had to reel himself back to attention, and with a quick blink or two of comprehension, was back to reality. He gave Meta Knight an assured 'mhmm!' before the duo left the restaurant, Kawasaki in the lead with Meta Knight right behind. The sight of Meta Knight traveling with anyone other than his knaves, Kirby, or on occasion Fumu would always be considered most peculiar. This was certainly no exception. Besides a few _very _confused glances, the two made it to Mayor Lens home with no problems. Adjusting his charge, Kawasaki managed to knock on the door a few times before the awkward weight of the crates forced his hand back under them. Meta Knights view of the doorway was obscured by Kawasaki's...girth. A few moments later, the door was opened.

"Hello Chef Kawasaki!" Two voices answered in perfect harmony. "What can we do for you?" Meta Knight could imagine Kawasaki displaying his most heartwarming smile.

"Hi Fololo and Falala, you guys look swell today." Kawasaki replied politely. "I was just in the neighborhood and I figured that you guys, including Fumu and Bun, could probably use a little pick-me-up after the...uh...recent...happenings." Kawasaki said the last part slowly, trying to pick the best words to use. "Uh, so, I thought that maybe a little gift from the village to you guys would be alright!"

The village? Kawasaki wasn't going to take full credit for this? The mans heart was as big as his belly.

"Oh, wow!" Fololo started.

"That's very kind!" Falala finished. Kawasaki nodded his head.

"Yep! It's about two weeks of food plus some sweet treats for whenever." A very brief moment of silence occurred. "Don't worry, it's real simple stuff. Rice balls and sandwiches and the like. Nothing fancy." A light laughter permeated the air.

Falala spoke first. "So each box has-"

"a week of food in it?" Fololo spoke last. Kawasaki shook his head.

"Nope, I've got two more boxes here!" With that, he side stepped to reveal Meta Knight. The knight offered a polite head nod in greeting to the twins.

The twins, however, held the expression of just witnessing a ghost.

Fololo was the first to regain himself and wipe the look of sheer surprise off his eyes. "G-good to see you again Sir Meta Knight!" Fololo commented.

"What brings you here?" Falala asked this, although her tone held more than just polite curiosity. Meta Knight definitely took notice of their strange behavior. Instead of calling them out on it, he decided to keep quiet. For now.

"I was speaking with Kawasaki and decided to lend him some assistance." Meta Knight curtly responded. Kawasaki punctuated the sentence with a firm 'mhmm!'.

"I tried carrying all four by myself but that wasn't gonna work out too good now that I think about it." Kawasaki tacked on. Fololo cast a quick glance over his shoulder. Too fast for Kawasaki to take too notice of, but enough movement for Meta Knights suspicions to rise.

"Mayor Len is still out performing his duties." Fololo announced.

"And Fumu and Bun decided to..take a walk." The gap between 'to' and 'take' was entirely too long.

"Aw, that's okay!" Kawasaki said with a laugh. "We'll just drop the stuff off and go lickity-split! It'll be a fun surprise for them whenever they all get back, ya know?" Fololo and Falala gave each other a nervous glance, but in the end moved out of the way, directing the duo towards the kitchen.

"Won't you both come in, Chef Kawasaki and _Meta Knight." _At the sound of his name, (Which the twins had taken the liberty of _shouting.) _a very short clatter could be heard coming from the direction of the front room. At Kawasaki and Meta Knights suspicious looks, Fololo and Falala proceeded to give a few fake coughs. Meta Knight looked away, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Kawasaki gave the twins very concerned looks before entering the home and heading toward the kitchen, Meta Knight right behind him.

"You guys should drink more liquids if you're sick." Kawasaki exclaimed innocently. Fololo nor Falala responded as the duo set all four boxes on the kitchens island. Kawasaki wiped his hands on his apron and adjusted his chef's hat, which had started to fall in front of his eyes. "Welp, that's it for me then!" Kawasaki said with a nod. "Gotta get back to my restaurant just in case someone wants lie in the AC for a bit. Maybe I can convince them to buy some food while they're there!" He tacked on with determination glinting in his eyes. Before he departed, he turned to Meta Knight. "Thanks again for the help, pal! I appreciate it loads I do!" And with that, he was gone, leaving the demon twins and the knight alone. Falala was the first to speak, piping up as soon as the door had slammed shut.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again Sir Meta Knight." She said much too fast.

"We'll be seeing you later Sir Meta Knight." He said much too suspiciously.

Alright, something was most certainly up. And whatever it was the twins did not want Meta Knight to know. Now the question was simple; Pursue this, or let it go...

"Farewell to you both, then." Meta Knight responded. Without needing to be prodded to leave, Meta Knight showed himself out, making sure his footfall was just so slightly heavier than usual and the door closed so that the resounding _slam _echoed through the front of the house. He let his hand linger on the door knob for a few moments, waiting. Because Fololo and Falala floated and had no footfall, he was mostly just counting down seconds until he was sure they would be back in the front room.

If this had been almost anyone else acting suspicious, Meta Knight would've left the scene with little thought on the matter. Perhaps he'd fancy the idea for a moment or so before pushing it aside. But for the Lola twins to be acting like this, well, that raised some red flags for the knight. He didn't plan on doing much. Just listening to the going-on's in the front room for a few seconds. If the discussion was important or a cause for suspicion, he'd stay. If the discussion was about nothing in particular, he'd go. And none would be the wiser.

Taking the long way, he snaked around the front, left, and back side of the house before making his way to the far right where a small window into the front room could be found. It was opened just slightly to let in whatever breeze this scorching day would allow. Meta Knight kept under the window (Which was not hard, seeing as it was taller than he) And focused all his energy into his sense of hearing. Luckily, it seemed the children didn't suspect him, for no one was whispering and were speaking with normal tones.

"-on't feel bad about this!" Meta Knight made out the voice to be Buns. "He _needs _you guys whether he wants to admit it or not. He's cool and all but he's real stubborn 'bout this 'I-have-to-do-this-alone' kind of stuff." No response, but Meta Knight could guess that whoever Bun was speaking too was responding via body gestures. Meta Knight could've snorted at Bun's choice of words. The blunt boy was more than likely talking about Meta Knight himself. But _who _was he talking to? Meta Knight cursed his height to the highest degree.

"I just think that-"

"-we should tell him something _before_ the captain comes-"

-instead of waiting until the last moment." This was most certainly the Lola twins. Bun snorted.

"No way! If we wait until the last sec, then he'll pretty much _have _to take them!" Who, who, _who?!_

"That's not entirely true, Bun." This voice was very unexpected. Meta Knights expression turned to confusion which lay hidden behind his mask. Although an awkward head twitch could show that Meta Knight had performed a double-take at the female voice. It wasn't Fumu...

"He'll probably just say that he still doesn't want to 'risk anymore lives than necessary.'" This was also an unexpected voice, although this one was male. It couldn't be...

"'I-have-to-do-this-alone' kind of stuff, indeed." Back to the female voice.

Not waiting for anymore conversation, Meta Knight made his way away from the house, keeping a low profile until he was at least fifty feet away. Once he was in the clear, Meta Knight headed straight for his chosen destination, needing to confirm or deny a suspicion. Cappys slid out of the way at just the sight of Meta Knights harden gaze alone, knowing that when the knight held that look in his eyes, he was not to be stopped.

Arriving at his destination, Meta Knight pushed the front door open with more strength than needed, causing Dr. Yabui to jump in fright. The doctor had been sitting behind a small desk, going over papers and the like. When he realized that it was just Meta Knight, Yabui let himself relax. Before he could even open his mouth, Meta Knight spoke first.

"Sword and Blade are still in the same room, correct?" Instead of speaking at first, Yabui tilted his head, holding a questioning look in his glasses.

"What could you possibly mean, Meta Knight?" The doctor asked, scratching his temple with a pen.

"One hall down and the second room on the left I will find my knaves in their beds, correct?" He asked in more detail, putting venom into the last word. Yabui didn't pay attention to it though. Instead he continued to hold that same confused look.

"No, they checked out about an hour ago..." Yabui replied to Meta Knight with caution in his tone, like he had done something wrong. Going back in time in his memory, that would put the time of their check out around the time he had started speaking with Knuckle Joe. "They were in perfect health. Blades foot was just sore and Swords ribs could use a little more ice, but besides those boo-boo's, they're fine, fine, fine." Yabui turned around and away from Meta Knight, twirling his pen absent-mindlessly between his fingers. "You Star Warriors and your quick healing abilities. Scientificly fascinating." This part he mumbled mostly to himself.

"Sword and Blade are not Star Warriors." Not waiting for the doctor to even turn around, Meta Knight had left the hospital, slamming the door shut behind him and causing a few birds to fly away in fright.

Well, _this _certainly put a wrench in things.

* * *

_I was originally planning on submitting this chapter next week, but decided that you guys deserve a bit extra after my three month drop-off-the-face-of-the-earth spree._

_An entire chapter of talking? Well, this story started out as a character development kind of story. The story and plot is there to drive the character, instead of the character driving the plot. Hence why things are being fleshed out that might've been glossed over if the story was more about action and plot and what have you. Also Kawasaki is amazing and I loves him so I wanted to give him some more screen time 3_

_But don't worry kiddies, we get back to ze plotness next chapter for those who are here to see people get punched in the colons._

_Like, fave, comment, rate, elect, nibble, tweet, dress up, offer a seat to, cuddle, name a highway after, and ENJOY this chapter_


	13. Burdens

Instead of confronting who he was sure was Sword and Blade at Mayor Lens home, (And the others to boot) Meta Knight had chosen to let it go for now. He could already see how the conversation would play out in his mind. Sword and Blade would insist that they were capable of traveling and fighting now, but in the end Meta Knight would have to put his foot down. He didn't want anyone else going that didn't need to go. It wasn't for the reason Bun had mentioned (This he had told himself at least twenty times) but because more people meant more possibilities for unneeded causalities.

Besides, he had a faint idea when the duo would make themselves known to the knight. Somehow or another, they had planned on finding Magolor before Meta Knight did. Or perhaps they planned on intercepting Meta Knight and Magolor as the duo made their way to the hospital. After that, who knew. One question that plagued Meta Knights mind was of _how _the knaves had recovered so quickly. Sword should've been bedridden for a few more days, while Blade shouldn't be able to walk for at least three or so weeks. Something wasn't adding up.

No matter the circumstances, this made Meta Knights mission all the harder. In an easy world, telling his knaves 'no' would've meant 'no'. But over the years, they had grown as stubborn as he. Perhaps he was teaching them more than just swordplay in the end. Instead, he would be forced to think of another reason for them to not go. One that they might actually listen to.

With twenty minutes left, Meta Knight found he now had nothing to do but mentally prepare for this journey. He secluded himself and passed the time by allowing himself to enjoy a mind-cleansing walk around the outskirts of Whispy's Woods. In the heat, everything was still. The animals slept or relaxed in the shade, and even the trees seemed to be taking the day off. The only noise was the light crunching of the grass under Meta Knights metal shoe-guards. Quiet and serene, it was. But only a minute or two in, he found that his mind was just too full of thoughts to consider taking a short and calm walk. Every time he thought he would get a moment of blissful numbness, some thought or other would vie for attention at the corner of his mind. Meta Knight was just too anxious, though he did not display it. Sitting still or moving slowly just didn't feel productive as of now. His hand absentmindedly went to his sword, thinking a bit of training would clear the air. But before Meta Knight even started to pull Galaxia out of her scabbard, he let go with a disgruntled sigh. For once, he was just not up to the task right now. So, then, what _was _he up to do to clear his mind?

A twitch in his back revealed the answer. It was a familiar feeling, though he hadn't felt it for decades upon decades. The thought in Meta Knights mind actually made him feel just the slightest bit _giddy _with the ghost of a sly smile on his lips. Peeking over his shoulder, Meta Knight assumed he had been walking for only five or so minutes, but his pace was brisk and in turn he was quiet a distance from the village, for the entire place was visible from where Meta Knight stood with eye room to spare. He could barely make out any of the villagers identities.

Which means perhaps no one would notice him?

That alone was all the reassurance Meta Knight needed. It's not that he wanted to keep his wings a secret, it's just that he didn't want to explain everything to the Cappys who would more than likely stop caring five minutes in. But he was far enough away where he wouldn't have to worry. Just like back in the castle for Waddle Doo, Meta Knight felt the familiar sensation of life and movement expand from his back. In a quick snap of fabric, the same bat wings came forth, arching above the knight in a display of intimidation. Of course, there was no one around to intimidate aside from a few flies or some dandelion spores. Giving his wings a quick test flap, he breathed a relaxed sigh when they responded to his will at a moments notice. Testing was over now.

Instead of the quick test flap that Meta Knight performed before, he flapped his wings in a rhythm he held in his mind. It wasn't a 'slowly but surely' deal with getting into the air, it happened with a quick jump and rapid flap. Meta Knight was now floating a few feet off the ground, being held in the air by the quick flapping of the bat wings. Behind the knights mask held a joy not usually associated with the cold being. It was as if an old friend had come to pay him a visit. The sensation of floating was good enough for Meta Knight, but if he didn't want to tire himself out, it was time for some _real_ flying.

Putting on a burst of energy, Meta Knight ascended into the sky, rising a good twenty feet in a few seconds and gaining more altitude in no time at all. On land, the sensation of wind against his back was a most odd feeling, but up here in the sky nothing could be better. Pupupu Village was now a speck in the horizon, and Whispy's Woods was following the same pattern. Now at least five hundred feet in the air, Meta Knight allowed himself to stop rising, merely keeping in place by flapping his wings to a hidden rhythm.

Of all the places one could look for if they wished to be alone, the sky could not be beat. The only company one could expect were a few lazy clouds or passing avian creatures. The only sounds that of rushing wind. Smells of fresh air, unpolluted by the stench of man or machine were your friend. Meta Knight allowed himself to greedily swallow some of the fresh smells for a few moments before shooting forward. Now it was time for some action. Despite not having performed many of these tricks for decades, they all returned to Meta Knights mind the moment he called forth the knowledge. Corkscrews were performed with ease. Shuttle loops were a done deal. Barrel rolls were executed with perfection. A low laugh escaped Meta Knight before he even realized he had done so. Flying held such a freedom to it! You felt as if you owned the sky and everything that was entitled. Why had he ever stopped?!

At the highest altitude yet, Meta Knight had suddenly slapped his wings against his back, allowing himself to go into a free fall toward the grassy ground below. A few seconds of the blissful free-fall, then he would pull up into a heart-stopping arch. If not performed right, one would become a pancake. Meta Knight closed his eyes, relying on his instincts to keep him safe.

A horrible thought popped into Meta Knights mind, and it lingered for only a moment before vanishing as quick as it came.

_'Don't pull up.'_

His eyes shot open in horror at his own subconscious. Before Meta Knight was even fifty feet from the ground, he forced his wings apart and to begin flapping. The action was sloppy, but it did the job. Meta Knight now floated at a perfect standstill. He slipped a gloved hand under his mask and rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling the heat of the afternoon.

He remembered now. He remembered why he had stopped flying.

Meta Knight was not a suicidal man. Despite the war torn horrors of his past, he would never fancy the idea of throwing his life away after working so hard to keep it. During the war, he had flown often to relieve tension and to just get away from the horrors for a few moments. But as the years wore on and his mind started to burst at the seams with death and war and killing, Meta Knight found that his thoughts often drifted to the undoable deed almost every time he went flying. During one of the last flying sessions in his past, he had fancied the thought long enough that he had pulled up too late and shattered his lesser-dominant arm in the impact. A few more close calls and that had been enough for the knight. He hid away the Dimensional Cape and had forgotten about it and the joys and dangers of flying. Even its quick teleporting abilities had not been enough to convince the knight to keep it out but not use the wings. During the war, Meta Knight hadn't trusted himself enough to keep one but not use the other. Better to do away with both. He had chosen this cape instead of another plain one for the fact that both its abilities would more than likely prove useful in the upcoming days. He had forgotten about the dangers of flying while pulling it out, but Meta Knight knew if he had known then what he knew now, he would've thrown the cape back into the dusty old box it came from.

The moment Meta Knight was close enough to the ground to put the wings away without injuring himself, he did. It was about ten or so feet in the air, so the knight fell the rest of the distance. He hit the ground with a roll, and came up as if nothing had happened. His landing area was about the same distance from the village when he started, so the walk back would be no problem. Hoping he had enough time, Meta Knight planned to go straight back to the castle and shove this damned monstrosity back in its box. Fate had other ideas, though, as a light tremor rocked the land beneath his feet. The citizens of Pupupu Village would be in a small panic right now. Looking around and wondering what had just happened before trying to inch their way back to whatever they had been doing at the time. It seemed as if Meta Knight was going to have show restraint with the cape, for he had no time to return to the castle. When Meta Knight started to make out the panicked voices from the village asking what had just happened, he couldn't help but chuckle.

That was _nothing _compared to what happened next.

It was as if the heavens themselves opened up in what was a neon blue star that pulsated alien energy, heaving forth a exquisite yacht-like ship. The majesty in the sky glistened with the afternoon sun, blinding anyone who looked for too long. The ship was perhaps the length of a modern size home from basement to the tip of the mast, and just as long. She was colored in a royal blue, pristine white, and a blue that matched the very skies she sailed. Her rows continued to move back and forth, pulling the ship forward. To top it all off, the mast displayed a proud yellow star that seemed to glow brighter than the sun.

The Lor Starcutter, and with it Magolor.

The light tremors from before had become a massive quake, though Meta Knight expected this and did not raise any alarm. With the blue star portal quivering and shrinking in on itself, the tremors now started to subside enough where one could walk without falling. This is what Meta Knight did, and started for the grand ship at a quick pace. The Lor Starcutter slowly lowered itself on the pathway between Whispy's Woods and Pupupu Village. As Meta Knight grew closer, he noticed that almost every able bodied Cappy had come to see what this strange alien ship was. Despite knowing that this was a friendly ship, Meta Knight could almost scoff at their stupidity. An attack by Marx happened not three days ago, and already the Cappys were unaware that this ship could've very well housed dozens of monsters. Instead of taking precaution, they had wandered up to it with blind curiosity, gazing at the ship like it was a surreal art piece.

The only door on the Lor Starcutter happened to be facing the gawking crowd. A quick wooshing noise and an audible cry of alarm from the crowd let Meta Knight know that the door had opened up. Now came the nervous chatter at the strange floating creature. He hopped Magolor wouldn't cause a scene.

Instead, a confused murmur rang through the masses. Meta Knight had just started around the ship to its port side, and by extension its door. He could only imagine Magolor standing there in just as much confusion as the Cappys. But once he stood amongst the crowd, he could see why they were more confused then scared. It wasn't Magolor who stood at the ships doorway, but, of all things, a Waddle Dee! This Waddle Dee was identifiable from all the others for the sole fact that firmly tied on its head was a bandana the same shade as Meta Knight. In its right hand was a spear at least twice the Waddle Dee's length. Unlike the other Dees, though, this Waddle Dee's expression was not blank or numb, but instead held a firm and dedicated emotion. It, _he, _for it was just not right to lump this Waddle Dee with all the other drones, looked ready for action.

Meta Knight recognized this Waddle Dee, and at the same time the Dee took notice of Meta Knight. The knight had found a place at the front of the crowd, and was sure all the Cappys behind him hoped to use him as a meat shield. Dee and knight held what seemed to be a staring contest, but if it was, the Waddle Dee would've lost. He bound down the ramp at speeds faster then any other Waddle Dee, charging straight for Meta Knight. The creature was still holding his spear, and because of this many of the crowd gasped in horror at what they believed was to be a battle. Meta Knight did not make a move for Galaxia, instead remaining straight and still with his cape wrapped firmly around his body. The crowd had backed up to give Meta Knight room to do whatever it was that Star Warriors did when confronted with danger. Apparently stand still and gawk? The Waddle Dee lunged, and Meta Knight was sure someone in the crowd fainted. But instead of the Waddle Dee driving his spear into Meta Knight, he had wrapped his arms as far around the knight as he could go. He wasn't attempting to throttle him, but was, of all things, giving him a hug! A collective confused '_huh?'_ echoed through the crowd. The Waddle Dee smooshed his face into the knights side as he continued the hug. Meta Knight released his cape, and reached out a hand to pet the Dee's head a few times. It was the most emotion you would get out of the knight.

"It is good to see you again, Bandana." Meta Knight greeted. Ah yes. Bandana. After the events with Magolor returning to apologize, Bandana had just been so interested in the Lor Starcutter and everything she held. In the end, King Dedede begrudgingly let this little Waddle Dee travel with Magolor to see the cosmos. Meta Knight had forgotten. So there would be a third person on this trip after all...Well, at least Bandana _followed orders. _"Your travels have been well, I take it?" The Waddle Dee, named Bandana, promptly released the knight and began nodding so furiously it was by divine intervention alone his bandana did not fly off. "Good. I assume Magolor planned on sending you out to find me?" Again, rapid head nodding. Meta Knight was glad that Magolor had had the foresight to send a native of Dreamland to find Meta Knight. A Waddle Dee wearing a scarf would've been less conspicuous than if a strange floating wizard traveled down the street. "Please tell him I am here." Bandana saluted the knight, before turning tail and bolting back into the ship. All at once, questions plagued the knight from all sides. What was going on? A Waddle Dee? Did you bring them here? Is it safe? Perhaps the knight should've explained everything to the villagers too. But no, Meta Knight knew that it would go in one ear and out the other. He had a much shorter version for these people, and it would take no time at all to tell it. Turning to the crowd, he began to speak.

"I have called this ship here to aid me in my search of Kirby and the King. The captain is a trusted friend of mine and is of pure heart." He decided to leave out the whole 'Prepare to bow Popster. W_elcome your new overlord!_' deal. Wouldn't really help his case right now. "I do not know when we will return, and I do not know if we will return with them in tow. But rest assured I will do everything in my power to bring them back." A murmur of hope rang through the crowd as Meta Knight's short speech sank in. Good, just as he thought, they asked no questions and heaved all of their trust on Meta Knight without a second thought.

"So you _are _capable of leaving the shadows of angst to mingle with the village folk. And in broad daylight too! Wow!" A voice from behind the knight bellowed in a smarmy voice. Despite that, Meta Knight could hear the good natured tone that came with it. Turning around, Magolor, captain of the Lor Starcutter, could be found floating under the door frame of said ship. He had his hands in what looked like a crossed position, although it was hard to tell considering the wizard had no arms. Magolor leaned against the frame, watching Meta Knight with as much interest as drying paint. He looked all flavors of relaxed. Bandana was not with him, it seemed. Meta Knights eyes flashed a brief pink.

"Are you going to make me regret asking for your assistance." Meta Knight questioned. If one listened closely, one could almost hear _humor _in his tone. Magolor scoffed, like Meta Knights statement was obvious.

"Oh, absolutely and without a doubt. We'll be attempting to heave the other port side by days end." Magolor finally left the door frame, and floated down toward Meta Knight. He spoke not only with words, but with his hands, gesturing them everywhere."Am I still allowed to say it's great to see you again, or have I lost that chance?" In response, Meta Knight held out his hand, which Magolor took. The two friends shook firmly. "In all seriousness, Meta Knight, it _is_ great to see you again. I wish we could've met on less devastating terms, though." Magolor had lost every iota of humor, now wearing a serious, down to buisness look in his eyes. Meta Knight offered a slow head nod. The two released hands.

"I am sorry our meeting couldn't be on more pleasant terms." Meta Knight started, speaking in a hushed voice but not exactly a whisper. "But I am thankful you came nonetheless. I could not accomplish this without you." Magolor gained back some of his previous humor, offering Meta Knight a smile with his eyes.

"You flatter." The smile fell. "But it won't be me who is doing a lot of work. It will be the woman I spoke of who will be our biggest help."

"Ah, yes. I don't believe you ever mentioned her name." Magolors smiling eyes shifted to puzzlement.

"I hadn't? Hmm, almost certain I did." He shrugged. "It's D-"

"_HEY...WAIT A SEC!"_

Every head swiveled toward the source of the voice as the crowd parted like the Red Sea, allowing the crier and the two chatting protagonists to get a look at each other. The voice had come from a young boy who Meta Knight recognized instantly. His breathing was heavy and face bright red. The single overall holding up his pants had started to slip off his shoulder, but the boy paid it no attention. Magolor looked from the boy to Meta Knight, hoping one of them would provide an explanation. Or at least an introduction. Meta Knight would be the one to comply.

"Bun." Was all he said. As Bun approached the duo, Magolor gave Meta Knight a cross eyed look.

"...Gesundheit?" Meta Knight rolled his eyes.

"His _name _is Bun." Magolors face filled with comprehension, like a toddler who just fit a block into the correct hole. Boy named Bun now stood diagonally to Magolor and Meta Knight, forming a triangle. He tried speaking, but just gasped for more air again. He held up a finger, silently begging to give him a moment. After one more minute of heavy breathing, Bun cleared his throat.

"I ran...all the way here...from...the castle...I...saw the ship..." He huffed and puffed out. "Please...don't...leave yet...gotta...talk to...Meta...Kni_iiiight_" He had collapsed onto his stomach in the middle of the final word, digging his face into the refreshingly cool dirt. It was too damn hot out to be running around like this! Meta Knight and Magolor shared a look. The latters was a deer-in-the-headlights-esque look, while Meta Knights expression only said-only _screamed: 'This happens sometimes.'_

As Bun finally found it within him to rise to his feet, a new noise filled the air. The sound of footfall. After taking a few more gulps of air, Bun brushed the dirt out of his hair and licked his dry lips, preparing to speak. He jabbed a finger in Meta Knights direction.

"We're not gonna let you leave by yourself!" Bun barked at Meta Knight, surprising everyone with the tone he used toward the usually well respected knight. Even Magolor was taken back, figuring that everyone gave the knight their utmost respect. (Or at least avoided the dickens out of him.) If Meta Knight felt anything about this, it was, as usual, unclear. For his facial expression was blank.

"We?" Was all the knight replied with. At the question, the sound of footfall had grown louder as others approached. The crowd of Cappies were still parted for when they had let Bun through, so it was very easy to see who was running toward them.

They arrived all at once, the entire ensemble visible from where Meta Knight, Magolor, and Bun stood. Fumu stood at the head of the group, trying her damnedest to make it seem she wasn't out of breathe. Fololo and Falala floated to the left and right of her respectively, showing no signs of fatigue but giving each of the group members a sympathetic glance. Surprisingly, Escargon was right behind the three. Unlike Fumu who was trying to remain calm despite being out of breathe, Escargon was very vocal about his fatigue, letting out loud gasps of breathe and flopping forward, his hands keeping himself upright but his eye stalks low enough to the ground that a single sneeze could result in a painful time. Bun smiled at the group, and gave a proud thumbs up.

"He's still here, guys!" Bun called out to them. Every member of the group broke into some form of a smile. Except Escargon, who just flopped onto his front with total exhaustion and relief. At the call, a louder set of footfall could be heard, like the runners had put on a extra burst of speed.

"_SIR!"_

The mini group couldn't move out of the way fast enough for the two remaining party members as they just raced around them. Meta Knight let out a heated breathe, making sure to keep his agitation under control. Poor Magolor hadn't the foggiest idea what was going on. He remained on the sidelines, turning his head to whoever was speaking at the time, like he was watching a tennis match. Meta Knight, on the other hand, knew _exactly _where this was going.

"Sword, Blade, you two should not be here." Meta Knight said curtly. He didn't care that Blade was putting pressure on his foot, or that Sword was breathing with ease. He _didn't care. _The duo approached the knight and stopped a few feet from him. They were in full armor with their swords ready for action in their scabbards. Behind them, the other four approached, though they strolled forward instead of running.

"Sir, we're ready to assist you on this journey." Sword commanded. Magolor turned toward Meta Knight with a questioning look. Sir?

"I remember you saying you did not think you would be of use to me before?" Meta Knight latched onto this, hoping Sword would remember. She did, but not in the way he had hoped.

"I remember, Sir. But this change of events," She pounded her chest like a true warrior, showing it didn't hurt. "takes away any doubts that we are now capable of assisting!"

Meta Knight stood motionless. "No. I don't know how you two managed to recover so quickly, so I do not know what condition you two are truly in. I won't risk anything." Blade directed his attention toward Bun. Meta Knight did the same. It was a domino effect, and soon all eyes were on the small boy. He only focused on Meta Knight.

"Whispy makes these really awesome tomatoes that heal you up to perfect health and stuff if you eat the whole thing." Bun explained. "They're pretty new. Like a few weeks new. Whispy wasn't into the idea of just giving two away, but after we explained to him that Kirby was gone and all the crap that was going on, he let us take some. I think he called them Maximum Tomatoes or whatever." He shrugged. "But yeah, Fumu and Fololo and Falala and me brought them to Sword and Blade. It takes a while to kick in, but when it does it packs a huge punch! It healed them like new!"

"Was Whispy sure of their healing properties or were you two his guinea pigs?" Neither knave respond for a long time, giving Meta Knight all the answer he needed. "I thought as much." Now he turned to Escargon. The snail flinched harder than Blade under the glare he was getting from Meta Knight. "And what of you? How do you fit into the story?" Escargon waved his arms back and forth, trying to display his innocence.

"Woah there Mr. Pushy. These brats were at the castle getting your knave's armor and weapons and what have you. I didn't know of any of this until just a couple of minutes ago!"

"Why did you come along then?" Escargon just stared at Meta Knight.

"Hmm?"

"_Why did you come along?" _

Escargon kept the same blank facial expression for a few more seconds before it fell into something mixed between embarrassed and determined. "Oh riiight. Why did I come along..." He stalled for a second. "Well, I would think it's pretty obvious there, bub." A bit more stalling. "Look, I know you're this scary good fighter and a veteran of war and etcetra, but...but, _come on man!" _He barked. "What idiot thinks that going alone against Marx _and_ his Majesty while in his _horribly unbecoming _state _and _all that Dark Matter junk _and more than likely Nightmare _is a good idea?!" Escargon shouted, shoving his hands on his hips. All traces of embarrassment had fallen into a simple angry scowl. "Wanna know why I came along, bub? Well it's pretty simple! These little kiddies like you too much to tell you the truth. But me? Well, I hate everyone to some level which makes telling the harsh truth a _heck _of a lot easier! And the harsh truth is what you need to hear! Especially with his Majesty's life on the line!" He screamed.

"And what _is _the harsh truth, Escargon?" Meta Knight asked crisply, making sure each word was said as clear as a crystal shard.

"You're either dumber than I thought, or just really dense!" Escargon growled, causing a ripple of surprised murmurs to run through the crowd. These gawking fools were causing Meta Knights head to pound. Escargon wasn't really helping, either. "You were in a _war _against Nightmare if you've forgotten. Marx apparently can't stay dead. Dark Matter is this mind controlling stuff and with one hit you're more than likely down for the count, and his Majesty is probably under control by the guy who you fought the war against! What part of your pea brain is making you think that you won't be splattered all over the walls when they find you?!"

"Because I don't _intend _to be found out, Escargon. Strategy, stealth, and wits will be my ally in this mission and violence will only be used if there is no way forward without it. Did you expect me to charge in there with Galaxia held at the ready?!" Meta Knight snapped back, his calm tone inkling towards agitation.

"And you don't think Nightmare or Marx or _whoever _will be...oooh, I don't know, _expecting _you?" Escargon questioned, his voice increasing in volume compared to his previous exclamation. He crossed his arms, giving the knight a bored but serious glare. "Right now he's got the universes greatest warrior hog tied, and Dreamlands king under possession. As much as it makes me sick to admit, they are _reaaaaally _smart and are probably expecting Kirbys mentor and the Kings personal knight, that's you, to try and get them back. What do you have to say to _that?_" The smug look on Escargons face made it clear he believed to have won this argument. Meta Knight would surprise him yet.

"I would be more surprised if they _didn't _expect me." Escargons face fell. Meta Knight could've laughed in triumph if he was a different man. "It will take all of my wits and training to complete this mission to save his Majesty and Kirby. I must be prepared for anything, for being prepared for whatever the enemy throws at you is the key to victory. And I _am _prepared. To do this _alone." _He turned toward the ship, but hadn't moved. "And as a final note. I have, and will _never _forgot the war against Nightmare. Do _not _insinuate that I couldforget something like that." The tone had turned from forced calm to an eerie calm, giving Escargon shivers down his spine. With that, Meta Knight started toward the Lor Starcutter's main doors, all intents and purpose of leaving Pupupu Village. "Magolor, we should depart now. Too much time has already been wasted."

"Uh..."

Meta Knight whipped his head around to see that Magolor hadn't moved an inch. Meta Knight had the urge to tap his foot in impatience.

"What is it?" Meta Knight asked, keeping his annoyance to a minimum. Magolor cleared his throat, trying to keep his head high and his voice firm.

"Weeell...I...don't think you should leave just yet." Meta Knight deadpanned. Magolor continued. "You all have valid points, but all you've really done is scream at each other."

"I was not screaming." Meta Knight mumbled. Magolor rolled his eyes so hard is was a miracle they didn't fly out of his head.

"All you've really done is talk really loud to each other." He corrected on auto-pilot. "Alright, uh..." He now turned to the knaves. "Alright, alright, your guys' turn now."

"Magolor, we must depart _now _as to not waste anymore time." Meta Knight hissed, having made it half way up the ramp. Magolor waved a hand at him.

"Sure, you go. The keys are in the ignition." Steam could almost be seen coming from Meta Knights ears. He did not know how to fly the Lor Starcutter. He was almost certain that she didn't even have keys. If Meta Knight wanted to make any progress, he was going to be forced to play Magolors stupid little game. Magolor redirected his focus back to Sword and Blade. "So, why do you guys wanna come with us? You called him Sir, so I'm guessing he's yoooour..." He urged them to respond with his eyes. Sword did.

"He's our lord." She responded, looking straight at Meta Knight. "And we wish to join him for many of the reasons Escargon mentioned. Not only that..." She heaved a heavy sigh. Her rigged posture fell to exhaustion. "Not only that...but this isn't your mission to fight alone, Sir. It's _not _personal." Sword explained.

"Is that what you think this is about?" Meta Knight questioned. "You think I am taking this mission personally?" Figuring the knave would try to cover her blunder, it was a shock to see her nod.

"I do. You and Blade and I have traveled for years, and we've gotten to know each other through that time. And I know you. _We _know you. You are blaming yourself for Kirbys kidnapping and Dededes possession. You're thinking that doing this mission alone and rescuing everyone will...will repent whatever..._sins_ you feel you are carrying." Sword explained. All eyes were on Meta Knight. It made him feel claustrophobic. "But you couldn't have known about Marx or Dedede or the Dark Matter or _any of this. _For you to feel as if this mess is your fault is just..._absurd!"_ The inside of her mouth burned with out more statement. If nothing else, she thought this would be the one thing that could break through Meta Knight and get him to understand. It was also something he probably hadn't been told in such a long time. He _needed _to hear it. "Sir...It's not your fault."

Despite his cape being wrapped around his body like a cocoon, and almost every inch of skin being covered with armor, Meta Knight held the appearance of looking tired, old and war torn. Like his time in this world should've expired but some horrible deity just had forgotten to do the job. So until that day, Meta Knight would live on, begrudgingly or not. Magolor noticed this, and it caused him great shock. To see the usually calm and collected knight looking so broken was a jarring moment for him. A quiet murmur had started to spread through the crowd once more, and Magolor finally remembered those gawkers were still here. They certainly weren't helping the situation. Turning to them, he pointed back to the small village.

"Come on guys!" Magolor shouted with an exasperated tone. "Give 'em some privacy! Shoo!" A couple of angry eyes locked onto Magolor, but no one moved. Magolor snorted at the crowds rudeness. He didn't notice the snail take a heavy intake of breathe.

"ALRIGHT ALL YOU BIG EYED CRETINS. YOU'VE GOT ABOUT TWO SECONDS TO LEAVE THE PREMISISE BEFORE I CALL IN THE CAVELRY." At Escargon's threat, the crowd rushed away as fast as their lack of legs could take them. Although a few still tried peeking over their shoulders. Escargon continued to badger and shout at them until they were at least fifty feet away. He followed them the distance to boot, making sure nobody tried turning tail and running back to the scene. After the crowd had departed, he returned to the group, rubbing his throat and coughing. "I don't know -*_cough_*- how his Majesty does that all day." Magolor offered a weak shrug and chuckle. Turning back to the situation at hand, Meta Knight had not moved from the spot or even raised his head. Sword and Blade nodded their thanks before turning back to their lord. The other four children huddled with Escargon and Magolor, giving the three space.

Now it was Blades turn to speak. He stood tall next to Sword, taking a few seconds to find the right words. Neither of them had ever been too great with speaking, although Sword could use the right words when it truly counted. "Sir, I'm...hoping you realize that...no one here blames you for anything. We don't, the children don't," He turned his attention towards them for a moment, letting them nod in agreement. He returned his look back to the knight. "The village doesn't, and I'm sure Kirby or _even _Dedede wouldn't blame you. So don't blame yourself for something that was out of your control."

Sword and Blades words had been a slap in the face for the old knight. He had been blaming himself for everything. Why hadn't he stopped Marx when he had the chance? Why didn't he guess that Dark Matter had something to do with this? Why had he failed Memu and Parm? Meta Knight was a man who would insist on sharing others burdens, but he was also a man who would take too much burden that did not belong to him in the slightest. The guilt he felt from wars past had been from watching his brethren fall to the hands of Nightmare, but having been unable to do anything about it. Why should he survive while they all perished? Survivors guilt, it was called. Was that why he always would throw himself into the line of fire? If he sacrificed his life for the greater good, could that possibly repent all his inaction's and failed choices? No, it wouldn't, but the thought comforted him more than just living on his life while the spirits of the fallen haunted his nightmares. There was just so, so much guilt. But here were Sword and Blade, begging Meta Knight to consider the opposite. That these events had been entirely out of his hands. That they weren't his fault and nothing could've been done to change it. If he could speak to his fallen war family now, would they agree? Or would they ask Meta Knight why he hadn't tried harder to save him? Would Memu and Parm insist that this was not Meta Knight's fault or burden to bear? He would never know. A crack had started to form in Meta Knights resolve. Despite Escargons rather blunt replies, he had a point. If Meta Knight was cornered by Marx, Dedede, and/or possibly Nightmare, then his game would be over. Sure, he would employ wits and stealth, but would that be enough? Would Sword and Blade be enough on the other side of the coin? If they fell because of his mistakes, he would never forgive himself.

But another thought appeared. It vanished almost as fast as it came, but Meta Knight called it back. If he fell, what of Sword and Blade? He blamed himself for everything that had happened. If they were not there and Meta Knight fell, would they blame themselves? Would they ask themselves why they hadn't tried harder to get their lord to allow them to go. Or why they hadn't just snuck on the ship? The thought added a drop of guilt to the old knights heart. He felt backed into a corner. Could he risk his knaves lives by taking them? Or would he prefer leaving them behind to wallow in survivor's guilt if the possible happened and he was slain? Meta Knight sighed, the only sign of life having coming from him for the past minute. He started turning the situation around and thinking what the circumstances would be if he was about to be left behind. That was the final straw. Descending the ramp, the group held their breathe as Meta Knight approached Sword and Blade. He stood motionless for a few seconds as he eyeballed both of them. Sword and Blade stood tall and at the ready, not sure what to expect from their lord but preparing for anything. What they _weren't _prepared for was Meta Knight unsheathing the holy sword Galaxia, and swinging it forward at Blade before bashing the handle into Swords chest. Blade hobbled backwards before falling onto his back, while Sword gasped as she clutched her stomach, a long hiss of pain and a longer string of cuss words following. Everyone cried out in alarm. Meta Knight had snapped. The poking and prodding had finally cut his string to reality. What had they done? _What had they done?!_

Apparently finished with the sudden attack, Meta Knight sheathed his sword. He examined the duo like he was picking out wallpaper. "I wanted to see if your injuries were truly healed, or if you were just putting a facade on."

Blade rubbed his head while rising to a sitting position. The way he lolled his head made it clear he must've smacked it inside his helmet. "Does this mean that you'll allow us to accompany you?" He slurred. Meta Knight did not respond immediately, instead turning to Sword. She was still gasping for breathe, keeled over in front of the duo. She hadn't stopped cursing, although it was now mumbled instead of screamed.

"How does a young lady such as yourself know such vile language?" Meta Knight..._joked! _Sword tilted her head toward the knight so slowly that one could hear a creaking noise if one listened hard enough. The temperature in the area rose a few degrees as Sword attempted to burn a hole through her lord.

"..._Permission to speak freely,__** sir**__?" _She hissed while slowly getting her breathe back. Though she might have one killer bruise for a while.

"Will I regret granting it?"

"_Yessss."_

"Denied."

Sword snorted, coughed a while longer, but was finally able to pull herself into a standing position the same time Blade did. Meta Knight was the one who spoke first as the two took more time to collect themselves. Although Blade did this much faster than Sword. "For generations, I have held the burden of survivor's guilt. Why should I live while my comrades do not? But...there is a truth to what you both say. _This_ burden is not mine to bare alone. So if you'll forgive an old man for his mistake, I hope you both will accompany me on this journey." Even behind their masks, Sword and Blade seemed to be radiating happiness and relief.

"It would be an honor, sir!" Blade replied with a nod.

"We shall share this burden together." Sword added on.

"Excellent. Both of you go with Magolor and assist him if he has anything left to do." Now the knight turned to his friend. "And you: Give them something to do. I want to have a word with the children and Escargon before we depart." At this, mentioned children and Escargon froze up.

Magolor offered a thumbs up, before gesturing towards the ship. "Shall we, then?" Magolor questioned in a suave manner. Sword and Blade started up the ramp. Half way up, Magolor started singing. "_A hundred and twenty gears on the wall. A hundred and twenty gears! Take one down, pass it around_~Everybody sing!" And with that, they were gone and inside the ship. May the Ancients have mercy on those poor bastard's ears.

Meta Knight stood across from the five others. They all held some form of nervousness, although some were quicker to show it than others. Before the silence could build in tension, Meta Knight spoke. "I want to apologize for my behavior. I believed just mentioning where I was going would be enough, but now I see that was not the case. You are all a part of this and deserve more respect than I have offered. I am unsure if your intention was to have me take all of you along, but if it was I still must recline. Not for my personal conscious, but for your safety. Being untrained against this sort of threat would be a suicide mission, I'm afraid."

Bun rubbed the back of his head in a trademarked fashion. "Yeah, we figured you wouldn't let us come. And since we don't really know this ship, we didn't think sneaking on board would be too easy." He replied.

"So that's why we helped Sword and Blade!" Fololo tacked on.

"Sword and Blade are much more capable!" Falala jumped on board.

"They really wanted to go!" Fololo spoke.

"They really wanted to be there to help!" Falala said.

"So if we couldn't go, then maybe we could at least get Sword and Blade to go for us!" This they shouted in unison.

Meta Knight nodded. The dedication all of these friends had for each other was astounding. It reminded him so much of his war brothers who would do anything for one another. There was just one more opinion he wanted to hear. And it wasn't the snails so much.

"Fumu, what do you think of this?" Meta Knight questioned. The girl had remained totally silent throughout this operation. Standing by her friends with her body held high but her head hung low. It's like she couldn't decided to stand tall or blend in with the scenery. She exhaled a large plume of air.

"Do you remember the promise you made me, Sir Meta Knight?" Fumu asked in a hushed tone.

"I remember." Meta Knight replied. Fumu managed to offer the knight the smallest of smiles.

"Then there's nothing to worry about." Meta Knight didn't have the heart to tell her all the things she _could _worry about.

"Before I leave, I want to deliver a message. From Knuckle Joe." The children gave the knight a shared confused look. Meta Knight relayed the message, his tone insisting that the boy had said it with his heart in the correct place. The message took not ten seconds to relay, but it's effects were profound.

"I'm glad to know it get's better." Falala mumbled.

"Coming from Knuckle Joe and what he went through..." Fololo added on, trailing off.

Fumu and Bun stood closer together then they had been moments before. Each one holding a far off look. It didn't seem as if they were going to reply. If not, it was time for Meta Knight to leave.

"You four take care of each other. Keep your chins up." He suddenly snapped his head toward Escargon. "And you let the Waddle Dees and Doo eat and rest often." Escargon snorted, crossing his arms and looking away.

"I've got a place already chosen for where I'm going to mount Marxs hat, and I'd rather not loose that chance _thank you very much." _He barked back. Meta Knight nodded. It was time.

Without another word, he turned and started for the ship, feeling a crushing weight on his shoulder. The burden of this mission. The _need _to accomplish it no matter the cost. But his promise to Fumu was still there. He could not be reckless. But with Sword and Blade at his side, he wouldn't have to be. Everything was too important to mess up, but a small pang of hope had formed in Meta Knights heart that everything was going to work out. It was the hope that one always held at the beginning of a mission. He was careful not to let it get out of control, but careful to make sure it didn't die out. A little hope kept you motivated. A lot of hope could crush you.

Meta Knight turned to the small party of five once more, and gave them a parting salute. The others offered waves of goodbye, and the door slid shut. It had a sense of finality to it. "Magolor, I am prepared for tack off whenever-..." He trailed off as he noticed Sword had her head buried in the floor like an ostrich hiding from a threat. Blade was clawing at the spot his ears would've been if he wasn't wearing a helmet. These two held the posture of pain, while Bandana and Magolor could be described as goofy and giddy. They each had an arm draped around the others shoulders. Meta Knight deadpanned. What had he-

"_NINTEY EIGHT GEARS ON THE WALL-ALL-ALL, NINTEY EIGHT GEAR-EAR-EARS! TAKE ONE DOWN, PASS IT AROUND, NINTEY SEVEN GEARS ON THE WALL-ALL-AAAALL~" _Meta Knight flinched violently at Magolors _unholy banshee screams he called singing. _That would explain the looks of death upon Sword and Blade. He didn't blame them.

"Magolor, what have you done to my knaves?" Meta Knight questioned while Magolor was taking a deep inhale of breathe. He let it out suddenly when he realized the knight had joined the party. Noticing that all was suddenly quiet, Sword and Blade picked their heads up.

"_Is it safe?!" _Blade cried out.

"Not unless Meta Knight wants to join in!" Magolor suggested, although a teasing tone could be heard in his voice. The others hadn't heard it.

"_NO!" _Sword, Blade, and Meta Knight barked simultaneously. Magolor flinched, but laughed nonetheless.

"Kidding! Kidding!" He chuckled airlessly. He suddenly clasped his hands together, having released Bandana and Bandana having released the captain. "So, are we all prepared to take off?"

"I believe so." Meta Knight responded while glancing at his knaves out of the corner of his eyes. They were picking themselves up and dusting themselves off. They had fought beasts of hell and demons of death, staring danger in the face and kicking it in the shins. But they had been taken down by some bad singing.

They would stand no chance against a Walky.

"So you said we're going to some other dimension, right?" Sword questioned. "To get help getting to the Mirrior World."

Magolor nodded with pride. "Mhmm! She's pretty neutral when it comes to sides. She'll help whoever so long as she can be convinced to care. So if we just explain what's going on and who we're trying to save, I can guarantee she'll give us some help." He snorted. "I mean, come on! Who wouldn't want to help Kirby out? We'll get her help for sure." Without waiting for a reply, he began prepping the ship for launch. As it slowly lurched into the air, Meta Knight spoke up.

"Speaking of, Magolor." Meta Knight chimed in. "You were interrupted before you could tell me the name of our helper. Who is she?"

The ship suddenly picked up speed, rising higher and higher. Small tremors could be felt as the Lor Starcutter began ripping open the very fabric of space, creating the familiar five stared portal.

"Gimme a sec." Magolor called out over his shoulder, his mind focused on the task at hand. Once the ship had started making the jump through space, Magolor turned around. Sword and Blade had been heaved from the shock of forward momentum, but no serious damage had been done. "Sorry, I get pretty focused and tunnel-visioned when it comes to powering up the Lor. ANYWAYS..." Magolor leaned against the control panel, looking relaxed and not like he was partaking in a fate-of-the-universe mission. He spoke as if discussing the weather.

"Her name's Drawcia."

* * *

_I've been getting lots of reviews talking about how well I keep characters in character and all that. WELP. THIS MAY BE THE CHAPTER TO CHANGE THAT. I don't feel like I need to explain myself with the choices I've made, but each decision these characters makes has been given much, much thought. So while _I_ feel these characters are still in character, you as the reader may not. Hell, one of these chapters you guys may believe 'WELP, SHE JUST JUMPED THE SHARK. THAT'S IT I'M GONE.' If you guys ever feel I'm pushing things, please let me know! Will I change EVERYTHING? Prooobably not. Will I take the review into heavy consideration. Yes!_

_Speaking of reviews. You guys are just awesome with your reviews. If I go check my email and I see I've gotten a new review, I literally squeak with glee before running to read it. They always make my day and I love them and I love you guys for writing them. I just get a big burst of inspiration after each new review to boot so that's good too._

_On another note, I've opened up Beta Reading! If you want me to check out your story or a single chapter or every other word, drop me a PM! Just be sure to read my conditions in my Beta Profile first, because there are some things I won't do. Also on my Beta Profile you can find some tips and advice for writing!_

_Review, follow, favorite, host a TV show with, feed grapes too, teach anthropology too, swing to, and ENJOY this chapter_


	14. Imprisonment

Enter a grand room, lined with the most expensive tapestry only fit for a king. Each woven to depict some part of the universe; whether it be a galaxy, a single star, or the cosmos in their entirety. The marble tiles that lined the floors could be mistaken for a mirror with how they glistened, even at night. A crystal chandelier or two hung twenty feet above, casting blue and pink lights across the entire place. Now, move forward. Silently now, lest your foot fall echo throughout the entire area and alert someone to your presence. Will you go up the stairs to your left and enter one of the regal bed chambers? Filled with exotic silks and fine wood made only from trees that no longer existed? Perhaps you wish to choose the hallway on your right and enter the kitchen. There you will find a diligent crew preparing foods and feasts galore. Cooking avian and beasts from worlds unknown. Using only the most plump fruit, ready to burst with its juicy flavor. Everything was sterile. Dust or dirt were the enemy, only to be destroyed by the quick working maids who scoured the area. Their eyes sharp and rags ready to strike.

Instead, you continue forward. The hallway grows darker with each step, as if light just cannot exist. Perhaps it will not exist here? Was it taken away along with the warmth in the air? Perhaps it went where the hope was located. Where ever they were, they were surely not in that single hallway. After the horrible crawl forward through the hallway of nothingness, you come across a door. A single door unlike all the others. Instead of a polished wood, this door was of an alloy like material. Iron? Platinum? Who could say. It seems as if the door just doesn't belong, yet here it sat, and here it would stand. Go through the door, but move with care, for the area just inches on the other side of this unwelcome door drops a few inches down. One with unsure footing should turn back now. But if your footfall is precise, then start down the staircase. Don't even bother trying to sneak, for these stairs are old and rusted, and the slightest agitation produces a loud banshee call of a creek. The stairs take you to an oblivion. Go ahead and find the light switch, but it won't do you much good. The yellowed light bulb is pitiful. Surely a last second thought. But that doesn't matter. You would not be here unless you were granted permission to enter this room. And at that you would be working on muscle memory.

Or, of course, you might be someone who is being led to one of the horrible cells that lined the walls.

Dozens upon dozens of cells. Not just on this floor, but one on top of the other. Columns and rows of twenty. The cells formed a sort of circle, leaving the area in the middle empty and hollow. Almost like a birds bone. The lower cells only accessible by a creaky and unreliable ladder, ready to crumble to rusted dust at the slightest puff of air. Start down the ladder with care, and keep going. Past the 5th row. Past the 15th. And past the 20th. Make your way to the floor. Surrounding you are nothing but cement walls twenty feet tall, the diameter of this round area only about fifteen feet. The floor is compacted dirt, and the only source of the outside world one might hope to attain. Dead in the center, four chains gripped the floor with the strength of a Titan, not ready to let go at any moment. Unlike the rest of the dungeon, these chains were brand new, and still held a sort of shine to them. The shine bouncing from them at this point of time happened to be a candy pink. Four chains for four appendages. Each appendage bound to the floor. The prisoner could sit, stand, or if strong enough to move their shackles, walk a few inches in any direction their heart desired. Why would they walk, though? Everything down here was the same. A dirt floor in all directions, and a great concrete wall circling them. They were at the bottom of a stone barrel.

The prisoner in this poor prison was one of many, but obviously he was the most important, for he was bound for all to see and gawk at. At first, the prisoner had cried for help, but that was made fruitless. He had been gagged, unable to open his mouth more than a millimeter or two. Holes pocked through the gag allowed for shallow breathes. The prisoner had not been gagged because of their pitiful crying, however. No, they had been gagged to prevent the captors from having to endure the creatures amazing inhaling ability. Sucking up enemies and mimicking their attacks. It was a power sought after by all parties.

This prisoner, obviously, was the recently kidnapped Kirby.

It had only been about three days, but the horrible circumstances he was in prolonged that time to three eternities. There was no sunlight down here, so even the most primal way of time telling was lost to him. His only way of even guessing what time of day it was was by his sleep cycle. If he was tired, it was night. If he was wide awake, afternoon. But even this was starting to become unreliable. He was sleeping more and more. And when he slept, he slept longer. Or perhaps the horrible nightmares that had become more severe would startle him awake and keep him up. Soon he would not even be able to use this as a way to keep a small fraction of reality alive. Soon he would lose one of the last links to the outside world.

Kirby spent hours upon hours huddled in on himself, trying to find a position to lay where the chains did not weigh him down like giant hands attempting to crush him. But the chains must have been alive, for they only remained comfortable for a few moments before too much pressure forced Kirby to move once more. Of course, they weren't alive, but damn it all if it didn't feel that way sometimes. The areas where the chains held had rubbed his plucky pink skin a raw red. The gag was just ever too tight, also leaving a red imprint trailing the circumference of Kirby's round frame. Not only did the red skin burns feel on fire, but so did every other part of his body. Kirby had never been one to care too much for hygiene, but he would give almost anything for a bath right now. The dirt floor was filthy. Not just from the obvious dirt and mud, but some unknown stains littered the floor surrounding the perimeter of his circular hell-hole. He did not know what those stains where, but they were of dark color. Kirby could only guess, and hope he was wrong.

Shivering from the ever present chill that enclosed him at all hours, Kirby, for the hundredth time since his jailing, thought back to how this had all happened. He remembered so little, and what he could remember just made no sense. The farthest back he could remember before the darkness had overtaken him was standing off against the malevolent Marx Soul. No, not just Marx. But all of _them_ as well. Thirty eyes had joined Marx's two in staring down Kirby with nothing but extreme prejudice in their pupils. The sight had made Kirby feel claustrophobic, and even as a memory shot chills down his spine. After the Dark Matter had charged him and bore into his very soul, Kirby had blacked out, swimming in and out of consciousness. He could remember fragments. Being carried by Meta Knight. A frigid plunge. His small group of friends gazing at him with so much worry that he almost felt guilt because of it. Kirby did not know when he had been kidnapped, but he swam in and out of consciousness then as well. Being handled by cold claws. Dragged down a beautiful hallway so bright and glorious that it could be described as Heaven's Gates. Being observed by the very Devil himself with his golden eyes of lust, scanning his weak form like it was the prize of a life time. Being shackled and condemned to the bottom of this stone barrel. Kirby had finally awoken and was able to remain conscious after he had been bound to the floor. He no longer felt the presence of the Dark Matter, and could only guess and hope they had done their job of immobilizing him long enough as to where they were no longer needed. No, the presence he felt was now all around him. More than half of the cages surrounding him had an occupant or two or five, and they all had some form of comment for Kirby. Ranging from surprise that their savior had been captured, to angry that Kirby wasn't out there stopping the madness befalling their world. In the end, Kirby had managed to tune the voices out, not being able to stand being shouted at for reasons he didn't quiet understand.

But he would take the shouting, the name calling, and the insults and everything else in between over _The eyes _that would always stare down at him from the dozens of eyes glaring at him. Kirby hadn't labeled those eyes, for they were all filled with the same curiosity and the same hatred, and picking one pair from another would be like picking a blade of grass over another. One cage, located just above this concrete barrel's wall and right in front of him, held a single prisoner. This prisoner had spoke nothing. They moved not an inch. All they did was remain motionless, and _stare _at Kirby with metallic silver eyes. Kirby had once returned the stare for what felt like an hour, and the only signs of life was the slow and mechanical blinking the creature performed every few minutes. Did this creature not sleep or eat? Not yawn or grow bored? Why had this prisoner found Kirby so interesting as to continue to observe him? Kirby hoped that sooner or later this prisoner would speak, just to give those eyes some kind of voice and life. But no, Kirby was sure he would not get his wish. _The eyes _seemed relentless, staring down at Kirby. Holding no hatred or ill will. No curiosity. Just nothingness.

At least, when it was just Kirby alone, the eyes stared. Sometimes a 'visitor' would pay Kirby a visit, and when those moments came, the eyes seemed to disappear into the shadows of its cage. Kirby knew why, and he wished he too could disappear into the shadows. The visitor was never the same creature as the last. Even in the pathetic gold light that was obscured by dust and dirt alike, Kirby would've known the visitors were corrupted by Dark Matter by sound alone. Creatures of all sizes, but all held the pupil-less empty gaze into oblivion. They all shuffled along the group like zombies with broken legs. What Kirby believed to be every half day, a beast would descend itself from the rusted ladder to do..._something _with Kirby. One time a large dose of blood had been taken, so much so that he had passed out for a long bit. Another time, he had been questioned on the knowledge of the Warp Star and Star Rod. When he refused to answer, mostly because his limited vocabulary prohibited him from answering with anything too detailed, he had received a powerful kick to the jaw that had just healed hours ago. A worse time had been when he was exposed to the Dark Matter once again. Just one had been preferable to the thirty before. But _none _would've been preferable to any! He did not know what the Dark Matter had done or when it had gone, but when Kirby had stopped crying and managed to gain his senses, he had felt a blistering migraine. But in a small glimmer of luck, none of these creatures had been Marx. Or even the possessed Dedede. Kirby wondered sometimes where the penguin was, and if he was safe.

Kirby shifted from his side to his stomach, clutching at the cold ground in hopes to relieve some pain. The multiple grooves surrounding him made it clear this solution was not working. Kirby hiccuped as he wept, but no tears were shed for there were none left. He was hungry but wasn't fed, cold but wasn't provided warmth, and scared but given no hand to hold. And Kirby knew why. He was a Star Warrior, and his captors knew it. Despite being no more than a toddler, Kirby's endurance far surpassed many veteran warriors. He could go for weeks on a single ration. Survive the blistering cold of any blizzard and march through. And fear...well, Kirby had looked Nightmare in the eyes and scowled at the dark lord. Why should he be afraid of a few chains?

But Star Warrior or not, Kirby was still hungry.

He was still cold.

_He was still scared._

**~OoO~**

The Lor Starcutters overall atmosphere held the impression that the mission had already been lost. When in reality it had yet to truly begin. Everyone was off doing their own thing. Magolor kept himself focused on making sure his ship performed at maximum efficiency. His posture was hunched and most unlike the upbeat alien. Bandana sat against the wall closest to Magolor and made himself busy cleaning his staff. His eyes betrayed no emotion and instead were narrowed to focus on the task at hand. Sword and Blade had been exploring the ship, trying to become familiar with what would be their living area for possibly a few days. The ship was small, and they had made their rounds already but decided to go at it again. It was either that or sit in the painful silence.

Meta Knight was no where to be seen by the other four. He had secluded himself for the time being, sitting in the small bunk room located at the bottom of the Lor Starcutter. While the rest of the ship held a white glow only available through the use of electronic lights, the bunk room remained dark, the only reason being that Meta Knight wished to leave it that way. A single window did offer some illumination, casting a neon blue glow throughout. This glow was thanks to the portal they were currently traveling through. And right under that window is where you would find the knight sitting. His form was slumped forward. Not enough to think Meta Knight was asleep, but enough to tell something was out of the ordinary. The look in his eyes did not hold the constant vigilance like they were so known to be, but instead seemed almost foggy. Like his mind was far, far away. And it truly was. He thought of hour past. And of hour future.

The moment Magolor had spoken the name of their supposed savior, Meta Knight had felt his heart stop. A quick side glance to his knaves had confirmed they were feeling the same dread he was. Even Bandana seemed to twitch at the name. Magolor, at first, had been very mystified. He had tried explaining who Drawcia was, hoping that giving out her back story would put the others at ease. He even filled them in on how he knew of Drawcia, stating that her paint dimension was one of few that had been recently created in the last decade and logged in the Star Code Encyclopedia. What Magolor hadn't expected was for Sword and Blade to be able to finish telling the tale of her history, completely interrupting him and throwing him off guard. Before Magolor had even had a chance to bounce back, Meta Knight had spoken up, telling Magolor about Drawcias conquest for Dreamland, and exactly _who _had stopped her. Now it was Magolors turn to blanch, realizing just how difficult this situation was going to be. If Drawcia was one to hold a grudge, then they would be in for a rough while. In the end, their solution had been simple, if not risky. They wouldn't mention Kirbys name. In fact, because Meta Knight was so similar to Kirbys form, he would be taking a major back seat in the talking, and instead letting the other three explain things. The problem of not including Kirbys name would mean they would have to plead for help in another way. They couldn't use the argument of their universes savior being kidnapped, because the universes savior had been Drawcias downfall.

Things could never just be easy.

All at once, the blue inside the room shifted to a lavender. And then a candy yellow. Then returned to blue. Meta Knight could only lift a questioning eyebrow before a slight static noise could be heard.

"Everyone back to the bridge. We're here."

It had been Magolor, speaking over the intercom. Nothing more was said, and when the static ceased, Meta Knight knew there was nothing left _to _say. Even as he rose to his feet, the light inside the room continued to flicker, turning pastel shades of the rainbow but lingering on blue the longest. Meta Knight allowed himself a view of the outside world. He had only dimension hopped once, and that had been with Magolor on their way to Halcandria. But even then, he hadn't taken a moment to look outside. Now, he wish he had, for the sight that befell him was one of fantasy. It seemed as if a thousand streaks of light were flying by him all at once. Before, while they were still dimension hopping, the lights had been nothing but neon blue and a bit of white. But now, there were hundreds of colors flying past, almost like small tails of a meteorite. If Meta Knight remembered correctly from Magolor's rants about dimension hopping, then this was because the dimension they were traveling too was starting to form, and the portal was opening. It really was time for action.

Inside the bridge, Meta Knight found that he had been the last to arrive. Sword and Blade stood at attention close to the door Meta Knight had entered from, so he could guess they had just arrived moments before. They offered him a respectful head nod, in which he returned. Then all eyes traveled to the giant monitor, watching as it spat data out in a continuous stream. Altitude, coordinates, temperature, velocity; The screen displayed it all. Bandana and Magolor stood side by side. The Waddle Dee had backed off from Magolor, giving the captain space to safely guide the ship out of the wormhole. Wouldn't want to accidentally leave something important behind in the inter-dimensional portal now!

And then, all the data cleared, suddenly being minimized and hidden in a small toolbar at the bottom of the screen. When all the charts and bars were gone, as single image popped open, filling the entirety of the monitor and even stretching beyond its limits. No, not an image. Birds could be seen flying by, and creatures almost parallel to Dreamlands natives were below, going about their daily tasks or playing simple games. Completely unaware that an eye in the sky was watching. Instead of a photo, this was in fact a video display of what was outside them right now. And smack dab in the center, the video focused on the largest architectural feat of engineering the aliens had ever laid eyes on. A granite castle bleached white rose from the watercolor grass below, it's tallest spires kissing the spray painted clouds. The castles outer decor and architect could've been pulled straight from a classic fairy tale story. All that was missing was the fair princess picking roses at the top of the tallest tower.

But instead of a princess, they were seeking out a wicked witch.

All at once, the creatures in the video turned towards the sky, expressions of morbid curiosity present. The same ones that the Cappys held when the very sky had ripped open. And for that same reason, they all stared. The familiar blue five pointed portal exploded forth from nothingness, relinquishing the grand ship into this new place. The creatures below gasped, murmuring questions to each other. What was that strange ship? Who had come? Were they friend or foe? Magolor took only a minute to find a safe area to land. Luckily, fields were plentiful in this part of the world, so the landing would be the easiest part of this journey. As the ship entered auto-pilot and descended toward its landing place, Magolor cracked his fingers, not bothering to turn toward the group.

"Alright kiddies. Thank you for flying Air Magolor." He joked, although there wasn't much humor in his voice. It had been a half attempt to lighten the devastating mood.

"Magolor, how do you know Drawcia is here exactly?" Blade questioned.

"We traveled to her dimension, but did we travel to her_ location_?" Sword tacked on, nodding at Blade before turning back to the captain. Magolor shrugged, still keeping his eyes on the screen.

"Figuring that stuff out is pretty easy. You see-" Meta Knight allowed himself to zone out as the captain explained the capabilities of dimensional traveling and individual locations in the vast scheme of things. Frankly, it didn't matter too much to him. So long as they were close to Drawcia. Now being in the witches world, he allowed himself to focus in on the video, following the ships path as she took it herself. The world around them really _was _a world of paint. Watercolor splotches seemed to be the most prominent visual in this land, but here and there one could find heavy oil pants to make up trees and shrubbery. The clouds were airbrushed, and they held the look of paint splatters. Whether this land would have the texture of a canvas or actual organic substance was unknown as of now. So, _this _is what Drawcia considered a perfect world? To the knight, it was too colorful. But to each its own, he supposed.

Just as Magolor finished his lecture, the ship touched ground, settling with such care as if the grass was made of paper mache. (It might be!) Bandana peeked out the window, taking precaution to be kept unseen. Outside, the masses were gathering, their eyes wide and bodies trembling. It was very odd to see native look alikes from Dreamland here in this paint world, and if it wasn't for their slight discoloration, he would believe himself still home. None were Cappies though, but instead more animal like. Hamsters and squids and other stray beasts of plenty populated this land. Of course, there was one native of this world that would stand out from the rest. But she had yet to make an appearance. Bandana wondered if Drawcia would show up at all. He turned his body toward the group of four, who in turn stared back. Magolor had shut the video off, knowing that it was no longer needed for guidance. Bandana shook his head no, to indicate she wasn't out there. Nobody knew if this was good or bad.

"Do you think the natives are friendly?" Blade asked, crossing his arms.

"I would wager that they are." Meta Knight replied. "While the paint witch may be a radical type, that does not mean all others follow her ideals."

"Well whether they're friendly or evil, we'll need their help to find her. Hopefully we can just ask where Drawcia is and we can be taken to her." Magolor suggested, powering down the Lor Starcutter. She settled into the dirt even further, no longer having thrusters for support. "If not..." He let out a breathless laugh. "We better carry some paint thinner." Magolor started for the door. "Well, time's a'wasting, and all that." He put his hand on the door handle, but before moving it, turned to Meta Knight. "You remember the plan?" Meta Knight nodded. He would only speak up if need be. Magolor didn't respond, but just turned toward the door. It opened without a squeak. All eyes squinted at the sudden change of light, going from mechanical to natural in a split second. Magolor looked out at all the gaping faces. He couldn't count how many natives were present, but he put the number at more than twenty. And growing by the minute. Magolor cleared his throat.

"Hello." He greeted, offering a hand wave. The crowd gazed at his hand like it held the button to end the world. Magolor put it down. Okay, be friendly, but be less animated. "Any of you guys speak English?" He questioned, his warm eyes turning more strained. Still, no one responded. "I know English is one of the native languages here. I, well, _we_ really need to talk to someone." He asked, clasping his hands in front of him, almost begging. Still, no one. Either they were all too afraid, or nobody could understand him. Magolor figured it was a bit of both.

A light pressure on his side caught his attention. Looking down, Bandana had just scooted past Magolor and bound down the ramp, stopping a few feet before the end. He did not hold his spear in his hands, instead opting to leave it leaning against the interior ships wall. The crowd looked at the Waddle Dee with confused eyes, as did the group still in the Lor Starcutter. A few moments of silence passed where Bandana continued to scan the crowd, eyeballing each native. Before he could reach the end of the half circle surrounding the Lor Starcutter, his head stopped. He jammed his arm forward in a dramatic fashion, calling a creature out with nothing more then an assertive arm. The creature, it turned out, was another Waddle Dee. The two were mirror images of one another, the only difference being the blue bandana. Without saying a single word, the two seemed to start communicating, gesturing around wildly. Bandana continuously pointed at his entourage and the sky, while the other Dee responded with either fierce head shaking or a slow head nod.

"I get it now..." Sword mumbled for Meta Knight, Magolor, and Blade to hear. " They have their own language. Waddle Dees can communicate with each other."

"Telepathically?" Magolor questioned, keeping his voice low. Sword shrugged, honestly not knowing if words needed to be used at all, out loud or not. Now they returned their attention to the charade. The Waddle Dee had gained an iota of confidence, and had approached the ship, while Bandana had taken this as a good sign, and descended the ramp. The two 'spoke' face to face at the bottom of the ramp, their movements less animated and frantic now. As if they were reaching a conclusion. A few seconds later, and the duo seemed to fist bump, high five, low five, down low and too slow. The Dee pair turned toward the crew of the Lor Starcutter. Their eyes were on Bandana. Not only theirs, but the large group of natives had taken interest in the conversation they couldn't really understand.

"Well?" Blade asked, leaning forward a bit with apprehension. Bandana pointed at the castle, and nodded a single time.

"She's at the castle?" A head nod. "Can speak with Drawcia?" Sword questioned, a flicker of hope in her voice. Bandana cringed, raising his hand and tilting it back in forth. As if he was trying to say '_eeeeh'. _Sword deadpanned. "Is there a catch?" Her tone was flat. Bandana turn toward his Dee kin. The Dee lifted a hand to his temple, and began spinning it in rapid circles. Bandana nodded, turned back toward the crew, and repeated this motion. Raising his own arm and using it to circle his temple multiple times. You could almost hear the cuckoo birds.

"So she's...insane?" Magolor tested the word. Bandana nodded once. "Hmm...well...huh." He scratched the back of his head, giving up on describing how he felt. "Does your friend think she'll talk anyways?" Once more, Bandana turned toward the other Dee. A few seconds of silence passed, then the Dee merely shrugged his shoulders, nothing more. "Will he take us to her?" Bandana nodded.

With the burden of locating the sorceress gone, it felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted, allowing the protagonists to breath a collective sigh of relief. But this would not last long, for the hardest part of this mission was soon to be upon them. The Waddle Dee seemed to notice their growing tension, and decided that it should not prolong their task any longer. He gestured for the group to follow him. Like back in Pupupu Village, the crowd split apart to allow a long passage way through. Magolor had snatched Bandanas staff, and tossed it to him. He caught it, and held it in a position that no one would be hurt. The group could tell their weapons made the natives nervous. If they could be sure Drawcia would not harm them, they would have just left the weapons behind, and sought them out after they had struck a deal with the witch. Sadly, there was a good possibility they would have to defend themselves.

As the group walked away, the natives began surrounding the Lor Starcutter, trying to get an eye full of the strange vessel that had ripped open the very fabric of space. Poor Magolor was ever so twitchy. He would peek over his shoulder every few meters to make sure his ship was still standing. And when he wasn't peeking, he was fidgeting. Finally, after the tenth time of doing this, Blade had put a hand on Magolors shoulder. (Or at least where he _thought _his shoulder was)

"Your ship is still there. It'll be there in five meters. It'll be there in five-hundred meters." Blade lectured, failing to hide the laughter in his voice. Magolor wrung his hands.

"It's like I'm leaving my child to the wolves." Magolor mumbled, fear in his higher pitched than usual voice. Blade gave Magolor a reassuring pat on the back.

The journey to the castle was filled with many horrified looks and passing comments form the natives. None of which the aliens could really understand, but just the way a posture would become hunched or a conversation would cease made it perfectly clear their presence was not too welcome. Though they were sure the only reason they had not yet been attacked was because they had not attacked first. Or perhaps it could be in part to the native Waddle Dee being in such close proximity to the outsiders. The aliens couldn't be that dangerous is a mindless Waddle Dee would stray close and become associated with them to boot, right? As the grand castle started to rise over the horizon line, more and more details came into view. From far away, the castle looked to be in perfect condition with nary a crack or chink in sit. But closer inspection revealed that to not be the case. Cracks littered the base of the castle, but as your eyes traveled upward they started to vanish all together. Ivy had started to reclaim its territory, and rose towards the heavens. Both ivy and cracks snaked along at random and odd intervals, and it would not be wrong to describe the patterns almost lightning bolt like in appearance. Not only was the castles stone walls cracked, but so to were a few of its regal stained-glass windows. On the front of the castle alone there were four of these windows, each barely wide enough to fit the Lot Starcutter, but at least double its height. The one to the far left had a giant hole in it, leaving the image it depicted lost to the masses. Each window offered a different scene. A quick description of all four would be the scene of some sort of birth or creation of this paint land. The creation of the sun and moon, of the souls that inhabited the people, and other pictures that weren't very clear with what they were showing. In between these windows was a massive door, carved from a monster of a tree. For the door was double the width of the glass windows. Although it was only half the height. On front of the door, a carving could barely be made out. It was of the paint witch herself. Rays of light extended from her back, showering the little wood carving citizens with light and prosperity. They all had their hands up, reaching out towards Drawcia. Under the carving, a surprise awaited. It seemed as if the phrase that had been originally carved into the door had been clawed out, replaced with a new one. What the original could've read would forever be unknown.

The six made it to the base of the door, but did not enter just yet. Sword and Blade had begun repeating the phrase out loud, trying to get their tongues to pronounce the strange alien language. The confused face of the Waddle Dee made it clear how well they were doing. Magolor and Meta Knight looked upon the image carved into the door, trying to make sense of it.

"Well...Drawcia _did _create this place." Magolor mentioned without turning towards the knight. "The people would probably see her as a goddess here. In fact, I think this place isn't so much a castle as it is a...cathedral. What do you think?"

"That may be the case..." Meta Knight replied, his voice barely higher than a whisper. Magolor finally gave the knight a look. His eyes were full of concern.

"You don't sound like you believe that too much." Silence for a few moments. Then Meta Knight began observing the rest of the castle, tilting his head this way and that. Disheveled state of disrepair and all.

"If she is a goddess among these people, then why have they allowed this place of worship to start to crumble? Why did they discrete this door?" Meta Knight quipped. "I am also thinking, when Drawcia attacked our home, she was alone when she arrived. Why did she not have a battalion with her? In fact, why didn't she have _anyone _with her? If a goddess, she should've had almost an entire army willing to fight for her. And yet, she did not. Why?"

Magolor made to answer, emitting a quick and loud breathe, but no words or replies came with it. These were excellent points, Magolor admitted to himself. He scratched the back of his head, then turned back towards the door. The sight that created him was a bit surprising. Sword and Blade had backed away, and let Bandana and the Waddle Dee have some space. Bandana held his spear into the dirt, and was carving letters. Every few letters he would look up at the Waddle Dee. Silence, then more carving. Even Meta Knight had been drawn to this strange event. The words Bandana was scraping into the dirt was English, although a few of the words were misspelled or a letter was backwards. Sure, he could understand the language, but reading and writing it was just a bit difficult for a creature that was supposed to be mindless. With the last letter, Bandana set the end of the staff into the dirt with a satisfied nod. Even with the spelling errors or wrong letters, the phrase in the dirt was one of hatred.

_'Corruption and greed now fill her mind. Past these doors only hatred you'll find. By the hero of pink, weakened and slain. So now we are free, never to love her again!'_

Magolor whistled. "Well, there's our answer." A quick glance at Waddle Dee would reveal it glaring holes through the door. Even someone has mindless as a Waddle Dee felt hate against the witch. The history of this land and of her rule could only be guessed at, but it surely be one of violence and betrayal. "I wonder what happened to her..."

"Whatever happened here is not our concern." Meta Knight spoke, his voice quick. "We need to seek assistance from the witch, regardless if her people care for her or not." The knight faced the Waddle Dee, who had just now turned its glare away from the door and possibly what laid behind it. "May we enter?"

Bandana relayed the message to the Waddle Dee, and the Dee nodded. Grabbing both doorknobs, the Dee started to yank the looming doors open. A horrible groan penetrated the air, causing the party to flinch in pain. For a Dee to be able to open such massive doors was remarkable, but nobody paid too much attention to the feat. The doors were not open all the way, but they had been opened a few feet and the crack was wide enough to allow the group to slip through single file. Which they did, the Dees leading with the others following close behind. As they started further into the room, the door slammed shut. But because the Dee did not so much as flinch, nobody paid it any attention. Now they stood in the middle, and every inch of this room was observed. It certainly did not hold the look of a holy place of worship. At least, not anymore. While the outside had looked decayed thanks only to nature, the insides destruction was man made. Pews had been tossed over, and many of them set ablaze. Cracks in the stone floor were not uncommon, as was the graffiti that covered every inch of the walls. All of the words were unknown to the aliens, but one could only guess. Old spray cans, papers, and debris in general sat undisturbed. Everything had a layer of dust. The only thing in this room not destroyed sat at the far end, opposite to the door. It was a mirror standing upon a simple marble pedestal Its frame held no concrete design, but was instead a wild display of surreal shapes and bold colors. While the glass itself was square, the mirror was a warped rectangle with shapes jutting out at all side. Upon closer exploration, the glass was not whole, but instead cracked throughout. The slightest rattle could send the pieces cascading toward the floor, turning them to dust. This is what the Dee pointed at.

"Drawcia is in the mirror?" Sword asked. A quick translation, and the Dee nodded. "How do we get her out, then?"

The Dee was calm as Bandana translated this, but once the question sunk in, Dee bounced backwards, an expression of horror visible. It shook his head back and forth with great speed. Gesturing with emotion, the Dee spoke to Bandana. Bandana nodded, then turned back to the group. He looked a bit perplexed as he tried to explain what the Dee had spoke. If only he had a pen, maybe! But he did not, so the idea was discarded. Instead, Dee raised a stubby arm to where the location of a mouth would be if he had one. He nodded. Then, he raised his arm to his eyes, but this time he shook his head no. The four others shared a mutual confused look.

"Mouth, nod. Eyes, head shake..." Blade muttered.

"...We may speak with the witch, but we may not see her?" Meta Knight questioned, all eyes returning to Bandana. He nodded, displaying pride at having come up with a way to translate the information. Meta Knight did not speak for a long while. But when he did, his tone was hushed, and directed only at Magolor.

"Will she still assist us even if we are unable to see her in person?" Magolor could only shrug. This mission just kept getting harder.

Now his tone was back to normal, and directed to the Dee. "How do we contact her?" The Dee pointed at the painting. "We just go up to it and speak?" Head nod. "Thank you for assisting us, then. But from now on we must speak with her alone." The Waddle Dee looked hesitant to leave.

"We just want to talk to her and ask for a favor. We don't really _need_ to see her." Magolor offered. Though he didn't really believe that. Bandana translated this all, and in the end, the Dee nodded with caution. Whether it truly believed them or not was a mystery, but in the end, it left. Closing the door behind it with a loud slam. Now, they were alone. Every creak or leak the cathedral produced echoed throughout the entire room multiple times. Who knew how loud the witches voice was going to be. Well, they would soon find out. Meta Knight had started for the mirror, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Remember the plan, Meta Knight." Magolor instructed. His tone was that caution. This agitated the knight, but he did not show it. Putting his faith in his friends should not be so challenging, but this conversation and what happened after could very well determine the fate of their own universe. He cemented his feet to the floor as Magolor started forward. Sword and Blade followed, and Bandana and Meta Knight brought up the rear. A surprising noise filled the room. It was Blades soft laughter.

"Is it just me, or is it kind of weird that the person doing most of the talking is the only person _not _from our dimension?" Blade asked, giving each party member a look in hopes of an answer. Sword shrugged, replying with a soft '_kinda'. _Magolor gave a quick laugh, but said nothing more. Neither Bandana nor Meta Knight responded. When Blade returned his eyes forward, they were standing just feet from the pedestal that housed the shattered mirror. Magolor turned around, and his eyes held his question. _'Everyone ready?' _When nobody stopped him, Magolor nodded, then faced the mirror once more. He cleared his throat. Okay, talking with natives and friends was easy. Talk casually and like nothing was wrong. How did one speak with a goddess who had fallen from grace?! Formally, perhaps? Or with a pleading tone? Again, even though he had just done so, he cleared his throat. But this time, a sharp intake of breathe could be heard. He was about to speak.

"_To be so desperate as to seek out I. One who was damned and fell from high. For what reason could that possibly be? Speak fast, I'm losing my curiosity."_

The witch spoke English! And her words were full of playful malice. The noise that came from Magolor in his fright was not mortal. It would be comical and one for taunting, but the situation currently was not the best for humor.

"_You yelp like a hound who was just whipped. Yes, your masculinity seems to have slipped!"_

Well, maybe the situation could have some humor. The tone of voice was that of a young woman. But no woman could have a voice that was so sharp it felt as if the tip of a knife was being caressed across your back. It was cold and filled to the brim with sharp sarcasm. But Magolor would not let this phase him. Building up all his courage, he spoke.

"Drawcia, we need your help."

"_No, now go."_

"Drawcia!"

Silence is all that responded.

* * *

_This would have to be my favorite chapter to date. :D Canvas Curse is my favorite Kirby game, and I just adore Drawcia. So I'm happy she gets to play a part in this story. Her world is going to be based off of what I think it might be. I imagine it like a fantasy setting, just reaaaally gaudy and colorful. And next chapter expect something I just loooove writing. HISTORY._

_My updates (Or at least the next one) might take juuust a bit longer than usual. Combination of getting sick and running out of steam. Just need a bit of break from writing and I'll be good to go! (Not three months this time I promise. :I)_

_Oh! Before I forget to mention. This story has hit ten favorites and ten followers! YIPPEEEE! Love you guys!_

_Review, comment, favorite, market, avenge, doodle, two-step two, hum a jolly melody about, face pet, and ENJOY this chapter._


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